Hermione and the Alternate Universe
by Wendelin W
Summary: "But it's impossible, Miss Granger.Tom Riddle is a Gryffindor."
1. Teaser

"What's happening?", Hermione asked while fading away, looking at her hands. A few seconds before, a misguided Expelliarmus hit her in the chest, where the time-turner lay. "No! Please, call for hel-", she tried to say, but she was gone.

All the presents in the Room of Requirement for the DA reunion stood still, on shock. Only Harry understood what happened.

"I'll call for help.", Harry said. "You guys can go back to your dorms", he spoke loudly to everyone in the room." We will meet again soon. Keep your galleons!"

Ron and Neville approached Harry, while everyone was leaving. "What happened?", Ron asked, concerned.

"I guess the Expelliarmus hit the time-turner.", Harry explained. "I think it broke, and then…"

"So, where she is?", Neville asked, swallowing hard. At least he wasn't the one who cast the Expelliarmus.

"It's not where.", Harry muttered. "It's _when_."

OoOoO

"…help.", Hermione whispered while appearing in the same spot. Her mind said that it was impossible she was a few years back, but her sixth sense said she was in big trouble. She took a deep breath. "Everything is okay. It's impossible to travel more than hours in the past.", she said to herself, leaving the room of requirement.

The worst thing that could happen is Umbridge being around, and Hermione wasn't afraid of Umbridge at the slightest. She walked around, luckily it was class time and the hallways were empty. Indeed, she had traveled _at least_ some hours back.

Something was weird. The castle was the same, but… It wasn't. There was something different with the walls. Hermione's spider senses were tingling, and she walked a bit faster, craving for meeting someone she knew. Even Malfoy would do.

She went outside, and the Whopping Willow wasn't there. "No…", she whispered, out of breath. "It can't be… I-it's impossible."

Hermione knew that the willow was put there because of Remus. If it wasn't there, means that she was a lot of years back. She fell on her knees, in the ice, which burned her skin. She didn't mind. Everything seemed so small now. The Order, the DA, Umbridge, Malfoy…

She heard the bell ring, and yet she didn't move, warm tears rolling down her face and falling on the snow.

"Hey!", a boy said, approaching her. "What are doing here? You might get ill!"

"N-nothing!", Hermione sniffed. "I was just…"

"I never saw you before…", he said, putting his cloak around Hermione and leading her back inside. "Who are you?"

He was average sized and very fit, as Hermione could see. He had blonde hair which fell on his face and warm grey eyes. Also, he was a Head Boy and Ravenclaw.

"Hermione Granger.", Hermione said, pulling the cloak tighter.

"Oh, I'm Abraxas Malfoy!", he said sympathetically. "Nice to meet you, Miss Granger."

Hermione flinched. "What's wrong?", he asked.

"I don't know. Something. All Malfoys were sorted in Slytherin. Why you are in Ravenclaw?", Hermione asked. Normally she would run away, but he was a Ravenclaw and so far, he wasn't a slimy bastard like Lucius.

"We are not blood elitists enough to be sorted in Slytherin, Miss Granger.", Abraxas answered. "Muggles are fascinating!", he whispered. "But it's not safe to talk about it…"

Hermione forgot that she was in trouble. Lucius' father just confessed that muggles are fascinating.

"Listen, strange attacks happened. Muggleborns are being petrified and some people say that the Chamber of Secrets is open again…", Abraxas whispered, pulling Hermione to a empty hall way. "The Slytherin Heir is on the castle. It's not safe to blood traitors like me, Miss Granger."

"But I know who the Heir is.", Hermione whispered back.

"How?", Abraxas asked, frowning.

"It's a student called Tom Riddle. He's a Slytherin Prefect.", Hermione said. "I know because I am from the future.", she spoke again, showing her time-turner. "A bit more than fifty years, I guess."

Abraxas looked puzzled. "But it's impossible, Miss Granger. Tom Riddle is a Gryffindor."

P.S.: Just a teaser, here. I am up to a challenge created by Evadne Riddle-Malfoy: Hermione and the Alternate Universe.

However, I'm not following all the rules. The colors remain the same, and Abraxas still a pureblood, but I'm following the remaining rules. Like, for instance, the fact that McGonagall will be a Slytherin and a blood elitist. Enjoy!


	2. Chapter One  Lost

"No." , Hermione replied stubbornly. "He's not. He can't be."

"Well, Miss Granger, he is.", Abraxas said, studying Hermione. "And he is the least person who would agree with Slytherin's views."

"That's… That's not true.", Hermione whispered. She knew that revealing what is still to happen was dangerous. Changing the future is dangerous. "He… Hates muggles. And muggleborns like myself.", she managed to say without really saying anything about what he would become.

Abraxas gave a laugh. "You know what, Miss Granger? I'm taking you to the Headmaster and you can discuss this with him.", he said. "But be sure… You are completely wrong."

"I am not wrong!", Hermione retorted, trying to catch up with Abraxas, who was already walking to the Headmaster's office. "I know it!"

(You know what's weird? I picture Abraxas as Viserys Targaryen from the TV series Game of Thrones. Clothes and all.)

"Yes, you are.", Abraxas replied calmly. "Might be a side effect from the trip. Memory problems or…"

"I'm just fine.", Hermione said. "I remember everything pretty well. How are you sure that we are talking about the same Tom Riddle? Tom _Marvolo_ Riddle?"

"That's the one. The year is 1942, by the way. November 25th."

Hermione didn't knew for sure when Tom Riddle studied at Hogwarts. And there were another Slytherins Heir before Voldemort. Maybe it wasn't the same Tom Marvolo Riddle. No… It had to be. But he couldn't be a Gryffindor. She bit her lip. Something was definitely wrong.

"Here we are.", announced Abraxas, standing in front of the gargoyle who protected the Headmaster's office. "Thestrals."

The gargoyle stepped aside revealing the staircase. "Ladies first.", Abraxas said.

Hermione climbed the stairs carefully. She didn't hear anything about time travels for that far in the past, and maybe, as Abraxas said, there was side effects. As far as she knew, she was perfectly fine, but…

Abraxas knocked on the door lightly. "Headmaster?"

"Come in.", a tired voice said. Abraxas opened the door and stepped inside, followed by Hermione. "And please explain the reason of your visit, Mr. Malfoy."

The Headmaster didn't notice Hermione quietly standing a few inches behind Abraxas. "I think, Headmaster, that you would want to know about Miss Granger.", Abraxas explained. "Apparently, she traveled back in time due to a broken time-turner."

"Is that true, Miss Granger?", the Headmaster asked, finally seeing Hermione without hiding the interest on his voice.

"I'm afraid it is, sir.", Hermione replied weakly. She didn't notice she was almost poking a hole in Abraxa's cloak. She was grabbing the cloak like her life depended on it.

"You made a wise decision, Mr. Malfoy.", Dippet said. "Miss Granger, please sit down. As you, Mr. Malfoy, you are dismissed, but, of course, we will need to talk soon."

Abraxas nodded and left the room. Hermione sat down, with her legs shaking. It was too much information for her to handle. Nothing made sense at all.

"I know you are probably overwhelmed.", Dippet sighed.

Hermione nodded. Overwhelmed was certainly an understatement.

"I don't want to push you.", he continued. "For today, I will arrange you a private room where you can rest. And tomorrow… Well, we will see. Is that okay for you, Miss Granger?"

"I would be great, sir."

But she wasn't so sure if she was really going to rest. It was too much for her to just put her head on a pillow and sleep peacefully. At least she wouldn't have to deal with anything right now. Just… Try to sink in that she was about fifty years on the past and that the only two persons who knew what happened was a Malfoy and Headmaster Dippet. A Malfoy, and besides all this, Tom Riddle was a Gryffindor. It sounded impossible. Everyone seemed to know that Voldemort was a Slytherin. Maybe they all were wrong.

Half an hour later, she would already be settled in her new rooms. Headmaster Dippet did with only but good thoughts. However, the quarters were in the dungeons, and as it seems, were Snape's. Or would be Snape's.

Hermione received a night gown and some basic toiletries for the night and a house elf to see if she needed anything else. She snorted when she was left alone. This whole situation was becoming weirder.

She snuggled on the bed, trying to think. She knew that messing with time and big events such as the next Dark Lord would have consequences that maybe could be for worst. Harry's parents would be alive, but maybe Harry wouldn't be born. Or she could stop her own birth without even realizing it.

There was a hope that she would go back in a few days or in less than a year, but it seemed impossible. Nobody can travel forward. Just back. Hermione felt dreadful and started making a list of the things she would miss from her time. Harry. Ron. Hogwarts. Parents. Crookshanks. Burrow. Weasleys. Classes. Well, of course there will be other things she wouldn't miss, like Umbridge and Mr. Filch. But then, her best friends would have to face Umbridge and the Ministry without her.

Since it was a teacher's quarters, there was a living room with a desk. Hermione thought that would be better to write it down the time line of the oncoming events and what she knew about what was happening now.

And then, she remembered something. Dumbledore was a teacher. Maybe if she could just… Talk to him. He would know what to do.

It was about dinner time now and Hermione didn't felt like eating. There was a soft knock on her door. "Miss Granger?"

She opened it and Abraxas was standing in the corridor. "Dippet sent me to check how you are doing.", he explained. "And I, personally, came because I want to talk."

Hermione hesitated. She didn't fell like talking right now, but in the other hand, Abraxas was the only one apart from Dippet who knew that she was even in the castle. Besides, Hermione knew very little about the events of this decade, as such as Grindelwald's reign of terror. And about Tom Riddle, of course. This was bugging her above anything else.

"Come in.", Hermione replied opening the door further. "And have a seat as well. And please, call me Hermione."

"Sure.", Abraxas replied sitting at the fluffy couch in front of the warm fireplace in Hermione's living room. "You don't seem fine, _Hermione_.", he observed. "Not unexpected of course but… "

"I'm just… Overwhelmed.", Hermione mumbled. "It's just so surreal for me.", she confessed. She felt at ease with Abraxas, and if she was going to befriend someone in Hogwarts while she was still trapped in the past, it had to be with him. Hermione forgot about the fact that he was a Malfoy. It said nothing about him, really.

Dippet thought the same. Of course that Hermione needed some support and luckily, Abraxas was a Head Boy and a very wise young man. He would know what to do to comfort her.

"The Headmaster explained to me that the arrangements for your time here at Hogwarts will be done by tomorrow. Have you got your OWLs yet?", he asked, trying to engage a conversation.

"No. Well... I'm in the fifth year, I was just getting ready for them.", Hermione answered. "And… Have you?"

"Ah, yes. Actually this year I'm getting my NEWTs.", Abraxas replied. "I'm in my seventh year."

"Hm, I was wondering if you could answer me some questions.", Hermione said. "I am…"

"Lost?", Abraxas completed her sentenced. That's not what she was going to say, but he thought correctly. Hermione was lost. She nodded in response. "Go on. Ask anything you want. I'm all ears."

Hermione considered all of her questions. "What's happening right now?", she asked. "In the Wizardry World?"

"There's Grindelwald.", Abraxas replied with a scowl. "He's at full power. He believes that muggles should be slaves for witches and wizards. He's powerful."

"And what about muggleborns?", Hermione asked again.

"Well… He's not quite a blood elitist.", Abraxas explained. "Not yet, I think. All of the elitists support Grindelwald and of course, he won't go against his supporters. It's a matter of time until he starts to chase after muggleborns and half-bloods. And blood traitors. He started to control the Ministry, I guess."

He made a pause, letting Hermione absorb the information.

"Grindelwald imposed two of our staff here at Hogwarts.", he continued when Hermione nodded. "Spies, of course. One of them is his biggest friend and partner. Powerful as him, I would dare to say."

Hermione said nothing, waiting for him to go on.

"Our dear Albus Dumbledore."

P.S.: This chapter is quite confusing to Hermione and for you, the readers, as well, I think. Hermione will put the pieces together as soon as she starts to attend classes at Hogwarts. The next chapter will be more revealing and more characters shall be added to the history.

And, for those who reviewed, I wanted to thank you a lot and please, if there's any doubts, critics or anything like that, don't hesitate to hit the review button.

Also, I generally don't take this long to update. I had to make several researches to give the history a timeline and a major plot.


	3. Chapter Two: Secrets

As usual, he was quietly patrolling the hallways. He had made excellent notes in all OWLs, but he preferred to stick with Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Potions and more objective subjects. That said, he had a free period, and since his homework was done until two weeks after Christmas holidays, he had given himself a chance to wander around.

But not relax. No, no. Tom Riddle never relaxed. He had studied his family lineage until the 9th century, a couple of years earlier and found out that the Gaunts once were related to the Slytherin lineage. Both Tom and his mother were parselmouths. For quite some time, Tom Riddle believed he was, indeed, the Slytherin Heir.

However, he was utterly wrong. Someone else had opened the Chamber of Secrets and Tom was eager to discover who it was. Because he would never attack muggleborns. He was a half-blood himself and his mother, despite being a pureblood witch, never really despised muggles and muggleborns. Actually, his father was a muggle. They died after a raid under Grindelwald's orders to the muggle village where they lived. Tom was at Hogwarts when this happened and there was nothing he could do to save his parents' life.

Books didn't help. They claimed that the Slytherin lineage after many centuries of inbreeding could not produce magic and healthy heirs. They stopped documenting it after the only Heir was a wizard with little magical powers, and he was considered a squib, even though he possessed a wand.

Since he didn't have a clue of who the Heir was, he spent all of his free time wandering around in the hallways, overhearing conversations and observing the incomes and outcomes of the Headmaster's office and maybe other offices when he saw fit. He overheard a quite unique conversation.

"The Slytherin Heir is on the castle. It's not safe to blood traitors like me, Miss Granger."

Tom stopped on the place and listened. He didn't want to be seen. Maybe he could hear another name. Because he never heard about any Granger.

"But I know who the Heir is.", said a feminine voice that he was sure he had never heard before.

"How?", a masculine voice asked, showing some concern. He knew who it was. Abraxas Malfoy, Head Boy. Abraxas and Tom weren't exactly friends. But they talked to each other quite often, mostly about duties.

"It's a student called Tom Riddle. He's a Slytherin Prefect.", the voice said. "I know because I am from the future."

Tom Riddle raised an eyebrow. What kind of future this is? Because he was sure he was a Gryffindor, the Sorting Hat never was wrong before, and there wasn't such thing as resorting. He couldn't hear what the feminine voice said next, but he heard the part where Abraxas said he was taking her to the Headmaster's office. So he caught a short cut and waited patiently at a hidden spot near the gargoyle which protected the staircase.

Indeed, the time traveler was a girl. With crazy hair and rather scared brown eyes. She was silent, and she had Abraxas with her. A few minutes later, Abraxas left the office alone.

"Abraxas.", Tom called, leaving his spot. "Who is she?"

Abraxas hesitated. "I heard the conversation. At least the part when she claims she is from the future. And that I am the Slytherin Heir.", Tom continued. Abraxas shrugged.

"Well. Are you?", Abraxas asked with a mocking tone. He thought the girl was having side effects and her memory was damaged.

"I thought I was.", Tom confessed. "But I am not causing these attacks, and I am unable to stop them, which means I am wrong. I presume you can understand why I am… Confused. I need to know…"

"You are smart, Tom. I guess that you know that changing the past is dangerous and she will most likely not tell anything about the future after this meeting with the Headmaster.", Abraxas said. "And she doesn't know _you_ know about her."

Tom remained in silence for a while, gathering his thoughts. "What she knows is wrong.", he observed calmly.

"Indeed.", agreed Abraxas. He knew that Tom hated Grindelwald and his supporters. And that his father was a muggle and Tom didn't care about blood purity. "What do you suggest? Now I am also interested in solving this mystery.", he added.

"Let's keep the fact that I know too much in secret.", Tom said. "For the time being."

OoOoO

Hermione rolled in her bed all night long. She always had no doubts that Dumbledore was a Light Wizard during all his life. Not for a moment she would imagine that he supported Grindelwald and that he was at Hogwarts for spying duties.

On the other hand, she wasn't sure if Abraxas told her the truth. But why would he lie…? Sooner or later Hermione would meet Tom Riddle and know for sure if he was a Gryffindor or a Slytherin. And Dumbledore, he never hid the fact that he was a Light Wizard.

So… Hermione spent the night thinking about either she trusted Abraxas or not. It was about five a.m. when she decided that yes, she trusts him. He was the only one she could trust, anyway.

These thoughts lead her to another thing. Dumbledore. She knew for a fact that he would turn into a Light Wizard, but she wasn't sure what he was now… No, trusting him was out of question.

Dippet said that the meeting was going to be held at his office, ten o'clock a.m. Hermione finally was able to take a nap and woke up at nine thirty. She quickly showered, changed, ate and brushed her teeth and flooed to the Headmaster's office right in time.

"Good morning, Miss Granger.". Dippet said weakly, gesturing to Hermione have a seat. "We need to discuss a few matters for today."

Hermione nodded and sat at a chair in front of the desk Dippet was studying a few papers. "I arranged you a few documents and I am welcoming you at Hogwarts with the pretext of you being a transferred witch, which parents are dead in consequence of the muggle war that is happening.", he explained briefly. "I wrote to the Ministry and they said that it will take no less than a year to solve your problem.", he sighed.

"Yes, sir.", Hermione replied with almost no voice.

"But we will discuss this later. For today, I want to get you settled down.", Dippet said. "The Ministry is paying for everything you may spend in books, clothes and such.", he continued, giving her a bag with a rather big quantity of galleons. "Hogwarts Funds will pay the rest."

There was a soft knock on the door. "Good morning, Headmaster.", Abraxas said, stepping inside the room. He, too, seemed that he slept little at night.

"Have a seat, Mr. Malfoy.", Dippet said. "I called Mr. Malfoy to accompany you to Diagon Alley and help you with buying whatever you may need.", he explained to Hermione. "You are in fifth grade, I suppose?"

"Correct, sir.", Hermione replied. _No less than a year._

"You may use the floo from here to go to Diagon Alley.", said Dippet, dismissing Abraxas and Hermione.

P.S.: And Tom Riddle is introduced. Sometimes I will write in his POV. I gave a little glimpse of his thoughts, though I will reveal more about him as the history goes on. Hm… That's it.

Yellow14: Note taken. No more AN's in the middle.

LoraPalmer: Yeah. You see some things that shaped Tom Riddle differently in this chapter, but just a little glimpse. About Dumbledore. I have a completely different background history for him. I don't think he will ever follow the Light path. However… Hermione may reach someone that's going to the Dark Side of the Force, so to speak.

And the anonymous reviewer: Thank for pointing that okay is off the list. And yes, there's Rubeus, Augusta and a few more characters. Hermione's definitely going to meet Moaning Myrtle.

Any critiques, suggestions, questions… whatever, just hit the review button!


	4. Chapter Three: Who's the boss

"One thing, Hermione.", Abraxas said as soon as they flooed to the Leaky Cauldron. "I know you might want to buy some muggle clothes, but Headmaster Dippet said we shouldn't leave to muggle London."

Hermione frowned. She wasn't used to wear wizard robes all the time. She only wore her school robes and that was it. All of her clothes were muggle ones and she wasn't really happy about buying an entirely wizard wardrobe. Made her feel like she was a pureblood.

On the other hand, she knew the Headmaster was right. It was really dangerous. Hermione saw some pictures of London in 1942 in history books, and the city was considerably destroyed.

"Sure.", she mumbled, making her way to the wall in the back alley of the Leaky Cauldron.

"Wait.", Abraxas said. "We need to do something with your uniform.", and then he waved his wand. The gryffindor colors were gone. And so the Ravenclaw colors and the Ravenclaw crest from his cloak that he insisted that Hermione kept with her. This way, her uniform looked like common robes. He also tapped his wand in his own forehead. Hermione thought it was a Heating Charm or something like that. He was with his Hogwarts uniform, but it wasn't hot enough for a November.

"Shall we?", he said while taking the lead. "I'm thinking about going to Madam Malkin's first."

"I think we should split up.", Hermione suggested. Actually, it wasn't a suggestion; she was using her bossy tone she used with the boys. "It will be faster. I will buy the clothes and you will buy the books."

Abraxas merely smirked. "No. Out of question, young lady.", he replied. "I came to make some company. What sort of company would I be if I left you alone?"

Hermione pouted at out of question. Usually people did as she told. And after all, Harry and Ron always did as Hermione told them to do. But not Abraxas. He already figured out that Hermione should be smart: she had a time-turner and she was at Hogwarts; the time-turner probably was used to attend more classes than she could.

However, Abraxas, as a Ravenclaw student, was a genius himself. He wasn't really arrogant, but he knew the brains and the power he got. Abraxas got the Head Boy position because he was a wise young man; Dippet trusted him blindly. And as a wise young man, didn't seem safe let a fifteen-years-old girl alone in the Diagon Alley in times like this, even if she was a powerful witch, which Abraxas suspected she was. He noticed Hermione wasn't happy about his decision.

"What's wrong?", he asked, slowing his steps to observe Hermione with his sharp eyes.

"Nothing.", Hermione replied harsher than she thought she would sound. "Let's go to Madam Malkin's."

A line formed between Abraxas' eyebrows and he followed Hermione in silence.

"Oh, hello dears.", Madam Malkin said in the exact moment they walked inside. The store was empty. "What do you want?"

Abraxas felt it was going to take a long time. He sat at a couch in a sort of waiting room in the store, lost in his own thoughts.

Hermione was also lost. In an ocean of clothes. Usually she would just pick up her Hogwarts uniform and leave without wasting half an hour there. Hermione certainly wasn't interested in look for wizard clothes, but she knew a thing or two about wizard fashion, so to speak, since they wear the same style of clothes for centuries and the way they dress is highly connected with their history.

"What about this one, my dear?", Madam Malkin showed her a lavender dress. Hermione wasn't keen of wearing only dresses and robes that still looked like the medieval era, when women worth nothing, but leaving to muggle London wasn't really an option and either way, the clothes in 1942 for women didn't exactly fit in Hermione's tastes. She just sighed and wished that her visit to Madam Malkin's ended soon.

One hour and a half later, Hermione bought the clothes that she needed and she had several packages to carry. She – stubborn and not used to get help on anything – struggled to get all of them out of the store. Abraxas watched her with a mocking eyebrow raised. Wasn't she going to say she needed help?

After she left the store Abraxas realized that she wasn't going to ask for help. He followed Hermione. "You can't carry all these things."

"It's fine. The next we will do is buy a trunk and I will…", Hermione said, out of breath, unable to complete the sentence.

"Allow me, Hermione.", Abraxas replied, taking all the packages away from her and shrinking them, using his wand. After that he put the packages on his pocket. "Much better, isn't it?"

"Isn't it?", Hermione spoke. She was used to make things for herself.

OoOoO

In the next day she was ready to move to the Gryffindor dorms. All of her new things were organized in the trunk and she was actually looking forward to the classes – it would distract her from the whole mess she was in.

Dippet informed her that somebody would fetch her there a few hours before dinner so she had enough time to put her things on place and eat.

She heard a soft knock on her door. "Hermione?"

So that somebody was Abraxas. Hermione was still a bit sore because for once in her life she wasn't in the charge of things, as she usually did with Ron and Harry, but…

She opened the door, already with her trunk on hands. She felt really weird to be wearing robes with unnecessarily long sleeves that went all the way to her knuckles, but it was warm.

She expected to see only Abraxas, but with him was a tall, thin boy with his raven hair perfectly on place. He was rather serious and he was the Gryffindor prefect, as Hermione could see by his badge.

"This is the Gryffindor Prefect.", Abraxas said. "Tom Riddle."

Hermione almost fainted. So, it was true. Tom Riddle was a Gryffindor. But it couldn't be. Harry told her that Tom Riddle was a Slytherin Prefect. It didn't make any sense.

"You must be Hermione Granger.", he said with a mischievously smirk. "Dippet told me you were transferred."

"I-I was…", Hermione mumbled. She didn't know why she couldn't move. If it was because she was facing the next Dark Lord, or it was because he was actually a Gryffindor.

"Must be hard for you.", he said. "But I'm sure you will find friends that will help you.", he completed, politely. "I think we should be going, I guess you want to have dinner on the Great Hall."

P.S.: I was ill. That's why took me so long. Anyways, there it is. A new chapter. I guess it won't take too much longer to Hermione put the pieces together now. And pretty much this chapter is just to put a light on Hermione/Abraxas friendship. I was wondering how it was going to work if she's no longer the smart one and if Abraxas is actually a fine piece of gentleman. Hermione will be a bit difficult on the beginning, but they will get along just fine.


	5. Chapter 4: The rabbit with the clock

The walk to the Gryffindor Tower wasn't bad. Abraxas just softly dragged Hermione all way up to the Tower while Tom carried her trunk. Hermione tried to remain calm, but she found out that her so called Gryffindor bravery could fail some times. And beyond that, she was really confused. Tom Riddle couldn't be a Gryffindor. She tried to make perfect logical reasons why it was actually a big confusion and she went back to the place where she questioned if Abraxas was really a Malfoy. Now everything seemed upside down. Again.

"Miss Granger, this is your bed, and… I guess I will let you organize your belongings.", Tom said when they got to the girls' dormitory. Normally he wouldn't do that, but since Dippet said she never came to the school before so he had to play along. Hermione nodded weakly and Tom left. Hermione fell in the bed, everything suddenly forgot.

"So, you are the new girl?", a squeaky voice said from the door. "Wow, you look really good! These robes are really beautiful! I'm Lucretia Black. Who are you?"

Hermione's eyes went wide open. Black. Which means she was a pureblood witch. But she didn't sound bad. Hermione stood up, finally facing the girl with brown pigtails and round green eyes. "I'm Hermione Granger."

"Oh! What a nice name! Can I call you Mione? You can call me Luc.", she said, sounded more and more excited. Ron would definitely define her as hot.

"Wow, Luc, you are already scaring the new girl.", a lifeless voice said. A thin pale girl with black hair until her collarbone and black eyes went through the door. She kind reminded Hermione of her Potions Master, Snape. "Calm down, will you?"

The thin girl just dropped her stuff on the bed and sighed heavily. "I'm Eileen Prince.", she said, still sounding deadly bored. "And welcome to hell. Or as they call, Hogwarts."

Hermione didn't know what to think about these two girls. However, she noticed that Eileen said Luc. Maybe they were friends. And about a Black being in Gryffindor really fell flat after Hermione discovered that Tom Riddle was in Gryffindor and Abraxas Malfoy was in Ravenclaw.

"Hogwarts isn't that bad.", Luc retorted. "Because Tom is in it!", she squeaked. "He looked at me down there, did you saw that?"

"I saw you running upstairs red like a tomato.", Eileen replied in the same flat tone. Hermione started to organize her belongings just listening to the conversation. She thought that they could be cartoon characters. And oddly enough, they were friends. They were sharing the same bed with black sheets that Hermione guessed that belonged to Eileen.

"But he's so cute, Eileen!", Luc sighed dreamily. "How could you not fall in love in him?"

"It's easier than you think.", Eileen said, shrugging.

"Hermione! Have you saw Tom yet?", Luc asked to Hermione. Eileen's bed wasn't far away from where Hermione was. "Isn't he dreamy?"

"She doesn't know anybody, Luc. She just got here.", Eileen stated. "What about letting the poor girl breathe for a second?"

"Hm, I know Tom Riddle.", Hermione said, trying to get along. "Hm… He's nice… I guess.", Hermione mumbled, searching in her trunk for something.

"He's perfect…", Luc sighed. Eileen jumped out of bed and pulled Luc by the arm.

"Let's go, Luc. Let the new girl settle down. And you can sit with us on dinner if you want, new girl.", Eileen said, shrugging and leaving the room with Luc. Hermione still could hear Luc's voice not so far away.

"Bye, Mione!"

Hermione smirked. Since her trunk was neatly organized, as always, she didn't take much time to organize her stuff. Hermione took a shower and put on her plainest robes. It was hard try to not look fancy when you let Madam Malkin pick all of your robes and you don't have to count every knut. Hermione thought about what she would do next. She had one hour before dinner.

Then, she reminded. Tom Riddle. Wouldn't do any harm to check what he was doing now. Maybe – who knows- he was opening the Chambers and attacking someone. Hermione put her wand and a mirror on her inside pockets and left.

Seemed that everyone in the common room knew who Hermione was. They stared, but they didn't say anything. She looked for Tom Riddle, he wasn't there. So she went to hallways. It was already dark outside, since it was winter, and the fire didn't really help to make the castle friendlier to her. She was expecting to be attacked by a giant snake any second now.

Hermione walked carefully and silently as a ghost. However, she forgot to look behind once in a while.

"Appreciating a stroll, Miss Granger?", Tom said, a few inches behind her.

Every muscle in her body tensed. "Yes. Very much.", she managed to say, without turning around. She heard his steps and that he was now at her side.

"So do I.", Tom replied with a grin. "But it's quite dangerous to walk alone, Miss Granger. Be careful.", he added, before move on. To Hermione it sounded like a death threat. Tom was just trying to be nice, actually.

So she walked to the Great Hall, praying that the dinner already have started. Her prays were listened. There were very few people on the Great Hall, though. But Luc and Eileen were there. Hermione took a deep breath and approached the girls. "Hi.", she said, sitting in front of them.

"Hey, Mione!", Luc said cheerfully. "Do you like Hogwarts?"

"So far, it's good.", Hermione replied. It was really weird that for once in her life she was getting along with girls. Eileen didn't seem much interested in the conversation, though.

"Wait until you see a quidditch match.", Luc replied. "The quidditch players are so good looking! Eileen is so lucky she made to the quidditch team!"

Hermione was really impressed. Eileen looked almost like a doll. "Chaser.", Eileen said. "The next game is against those Slytherin idiots."

Which explained why three Slytherin boys approached the little group made by the girls while they were leaving to the dorms. One of them was exceptionally tall, with hands that looked like big frying pans.

"Well, well, well…", he said. He had brown eyes and straight brown hair. "If it isn't the little princess. I will hand you to Madam Pince in a match box after the game."

Hermione was utterly confused. Wasn't Madam Pince the librarian?

"You wish, mountain troll.", Eileen retorted, her voice finally with a dash of emotion. "You know that the Gryffindors can beat the Slytherins anytime."

"You called me what, little princess?", he said with a crooked smile. "Aren't you afraid to get hurt?"

"Uh… Not really.", Eileen said. "Come on, people. We're leaving.", she added, pulling Luc and Hermione by the arm to far away from the, as she put it, mountain troll.

"Who was that?", Hermione asked, outraged with the giant boy.

"Stay away from him.", Luc warned. "Hagrid isn't a nice person to be around." Suddenly her voice wasn't so squeaky.

Hermione's jaw dropped. "H-hagrid?", she asked.

"Rubeus Hagrid.", Eileen said. "Rumors said that he can snap a neck with those hands. I don't like to see if the rumors were true."

Hermione rolled in the bed all night. Everything was wrong. She remembered the book she read before going to Hogwarts, Alice in the Wonderland. Hermione felt like she had too, followed the rabbit with a clock. It seemed like another world.

She never heard of anything like that, but it could be possible that she ended up in a parallel world where the Malfoys are decent and Hagrid is a bully. But then, maybe Hermione would never go back to her time, to her world. She fell asleep praying that this all was a big mess.

P.S.: If a dementor kissed Eileen, the dementor would die. I based her on a character that despite sounding really unfriendly is actually very friendly. Notice that she's the one who invites Hermione to join them. Also, there's a motive why Luc and Eileen are friends, but that's for later.

And to obsessivegirl73: Almost no Abraxas in this chapter. Too bad. Well, he will show up later. Thank you and stay tuned.


	6. Chapter Five: Doomed

Hermione woke up with dark circles around her eyes once more, but wide awake. Since the moment she thought about being in another world, her mind was restless. Hermione hoped that her crazy theory wasn't true. Some things were upside down, of course. Abraxas, Tom, Hagrid… However, a few other things weren't, for instance, her roommates. Hermione spent her summer in the Order of the Phoenix Headquarters; she knew a thing or two about the Black family and sometimes a member was disowned because didn't follow the blood supremacy. Hermione considered that Lucretia was one of them and Eileen… Well, she knew nothing about Eileen.

As she put herself together in the morning, Hermione pushed all of her thoughts about it out of her mind. It was the first day she would attend classes; she needed to be focused.

"Nervous?", Luc asked with a big smile. "Don't be, everyone will like you. Well, almost everyone."

"Almost.", Eileen repeated. "We have classes with the mountain troll today."

A tall, clumsy boy joined them. "Hey.", he said quickly, serving himself with bacon, eggs and juice. He didn't notice Hermione's presence; Hermione felt that something about him was familiar. He had green eyes and hair with a deep tone of red.

Luc cleared her throat. "Ignatius, this is Hermione. Hermione, this is Ignatius. He's our friend too."

Hermione found the name to be very weird. But she knew he was probably a pureblood, they often had strange names. Eileen raised an eyebrow at the word friends. Luc didn't notice- she was too busy eating her breakfast.

"Ah.", Ignatius said. "You are the new girl Luc talked about yesterday. Well, welcome to Hogwarts."

The four walked together to class, but Eileen got a grip on Hermione's arm and made her slow down. Ignatius tripped on something and Luc giggled, making Ignatius blush furiously.

"These two together annoy me to death.", Eileen said, with a scowl. "Luc still didn't notice Ignatius is head over heels for her. And believe me, I tried."

Hermione wished her life could be normal like that. She rarely thought about boys. Well, and now certainly wasn't a good time to finally start doing so.

The day passed normally. And as normal, the teachers lectured a lot about OWLs and passed tons of homework. Hermione rushed to the library, because she needed to get ahead in her homework if she wanted to poke around as much as she would find to be appropriate. Luc and Eileen said good bye to Hermione and went to the common room. Ignatius followed the girls.

Hermione, just in case, put a mirror in her pockets. Maybe she was in another world and the basilisk didn't even existed, but she didn't want to take the risk. Luckily, in the library was Abraxas, surrounded by piles and piles of books. One book floated in front of him, as he wrote something in a parchment. He had a line between his eyebrows, his fingers tapping his lips.

Hermione walked past and decided not to bother him.

"You hurt my feelings, Hermione.", Abraxas said, still looking at his parchment. Hermione continued walking and picked up the books she needed and went back to the table Abraxas was working.

"I'm still hurt.", Abraxas stated, rolling his eyes dramatically.

"You seem to be busy. I don't want to bother you.", Hermione explained, while picking up her quill to start her homework.

"Good point.", he replied, and they remained in silence for a couple of hours. Finally, Hermione broke the silence.

"Would you find me crazy if I told you I am from another world?", she asked.

"I already find you crazy, Hermione.", Abraxas replied, flipping a page of the book in front of his face. "But it does answer few of my questions. For instance, the reason Tom Riddle gets resorted."

"He doesn't.", Hermione replied. "That's one of the reasons I believe I'm not in my world. Another reason is you."

"Oh.", Abraxas said. "And what am I in your world?"

"A Slytherin. And you hate muggles.", Hermione said. "And I had the displeasure to meet your son and your grandson."

"Well, I'm not getting resorted any time soon.", Abraxas said. Now he was focused on Hermione. "I will graduate next year."

"Everything here is upside down, you have no idea.", Hermione sighed, dropping her quill. "Do you know Hagrid?"

"As you put it, yes, I already had the displeasure.", Abraxas replied. "Trouble maker, that one."

"He's a Hufflepuff in my world.", Hermione said. "He got expelled because Tom Riddle made him look guilty. Hagrid is also a half giant with bushy hair."

"Lovely.", Abraxas remarked. "A traveler from another world. You know what? We are in a library.", he said, standing up.

"Where are you going?", Hermione asked.

"Research, of course.", he replied. "Would you mind joining me?"

After half an hour of research, she knew she was doomed. There was very little material about the consequences of the use of a broken time-turner; and there were some wizards who disappeared and never were found. Who knows where and when they appeared? Hermione thought her name should be on the list. Yes, it was possible that her crazy theory was true.

At the next day, in DADA class, Dumbledore just confirmed even more what Hermione already knew. He walked to the front of the class with his chin up high, with a deep scowl on his face, his blue eyes cold as ice. Indeed, it wasn't the Dumbledore she knew.

Eileen had her chin resting on her hand, almost taking a nap, but Luc couldn't stop quiet for a moment.

"I don't like him.", she confessed later in their dorms, just talking about their days before sleeping.

"Me neither.", Hermione agreed.

"That's make three of us, but I'm never awake in his class anyway.", Eileen said. "I'm dropping DADA for sure."

Hermione could've slept well that night, but in the middle of it a second year appeared and lit up the lights.

"Someone got attacked!", she said.

Luc got up immediately. "What?", Luc asked, trying to fix her hair with her hands. "Who?"

Eileen growled. "Couldn't he or she be attacked later?", she asked, sitting on her bed, her hair in a black mess around her face.

"It was Lestrange.", the little girl replied. "Rosier heard him being attacked in the hallway in front of the portrait."

"Wait.", Eileen said. "The Quidditch Captain? I'm killing whoever did this. With a broomstick."

Hermione got up as well. She went to the bathroom and washed her face, joining Luc and Eileen in the common room, with her wand and her mirror on her pockets. Rosier was a scared chubby boy sitting in a couch with three other boys.

"What happened?", Hermione asked.

"Rosier and Lestrange escaped to do Merlin knows what.", Eileen explained. Her voice, once more, showed no emotions. "Rosier said Lestrange felt like he was being followed. Rosier walked inside the common room and he said Lestrange got distracted with something in the hallway; apparently it was the armor suit. The next thing Rosier heard was a loud thud on the floor. And voila. Lestrange attacked. Now he is a statue on the floor."

"Tom went to call the Headmaster, as the good prefect he is.", Luc said. "He's so dedicated."

"Alone?", Hermione asked again, wide awake.

"I think so. The other prefect is here.", Luc replied.

P.S.: I'm actually flirting with the idea of putting Tobias Snape in the story. You know, just because Hermione doesn't know Eileen is out of place. And because I wonder who would make Eileen fall in love.

To Joy Bells: Thanks for pointing that out. My language is very different from English; I often make mistakes. Well, if you find anything wrong or weird, please review! I'm here to learn.

To yellow14: I like writing Eileen very much, actually. And so Luc Black. I thought these two would bring Hermione a sense of normality to her new life.


	7. Chapter Six: Sit and Wait

Tom, of course, was the first to be called when Lestrange was attacked. He held a respectful position over the other students, because he was easy to talk to and he was truly charming. But he also was a little reserved and when he was alone he liked to be lost on his thoughts.

And most of all, he liked to walk around the castle at night. The dark and never ending hallways fascinated him; however, the time wasn't the most appropriate to wander around. Tom had to call the Headmaster and he didn't trust in anyone to do the job for him, especially when everyone was suspect on his eyes. Except, maybe, from those he knew more or less well.

Going in large steps to the Headmaster's office, he tried to not take too long. But he was being observed.

"Tut, tut.", said Dumbledore. "A prefect wandering around at night? Shame."

"I don't have time for games, Professor.", Tom replied, not hiding the venom on his voice. "Someone has been attacked, the Headmaster must know."

"Well, then.", Dumbledore sighed, sounding a bit disappointed. "Who was this time?"

"Lestrange.", Tom said curtly. "If you excuse me."

And then he continued. Dumbledore was a mystery for him. He was brilliant wizard and Grindelwald's partner, he didn't even care for hiding it. Everyone knows he was there to spy and, Tom mused, maybe take the place of the Headmaster. But either way, while Grindelwald was out dominating the muggles, Dumbledore was stuck on Hogwarts as a simple teacher, not even Head of his House. That was something to think about. _I will rot without knowing the reasons._

The Headmaster never really slept; Tom didn't know exactly how old he was but he guessed about nearly three hundred years old. His body wasn't the same and so his sleep and it wasn't a secret that he was worrying himself to death literally.

"I'm afraid, Headmaster, that I don't bring good news.", Tom said smoothly. "Another attack happened, in front of the Fat Lady."

"Merlin help us all.", the Headmaster replied, visibly shaken. "Hogwarts will be closed by the end of the term, Tom, I'm telling you."

Tom just nodded. He would have nowhere to go then; he was putting the best of his efforts to find out what is going on and stop it. He was already aware that the monster was a basilisk – he was no fool, only two things could petrify people: Medusa, highly unlikely that Salazar kept Medusa as a pet, and then the basilisk, and it really fits, because it was basically a giant snake, and he heard it sometimes before the attacks.

However, as it seems, the monster has been avoiding him since his discovery. The only chance he got to kill it was if he found the Chamber and it was unlikely as Salazar keeping Medusa locked up in a chamber for nine centuries. Tom had no clue whatsoever, only the Slytherin Heir could find it, and open it. He was hopeful that he would catch the Heir and follow him straight to the Chamber.

And then Miss Granger came around. Claiming that the best interested of killing the monster was actually the Heir and mistaking him for a Slytherin. He, personally, had nothing against the Slytherins, only a few of them. And she appeared to not be completely nuts, despite being terrified when he spoke to her. Which was logical and reasonable, from her point of view.

He was glad Abraxas was personally babysitting her. Tom respected Abraxas, really, he was definitely a genius. And Tom could keep an eye on her as well, since they both knew who she really was and both of them were equally puzzled.

Abraxas was called twenty minutes after Tom left to call the Headmaster. He hadn't slept actually – he spent his hours of sleep wondering if he wasn't nuts, because it really did made sense to him that she wasn't from their future, considering, of course, that Hermione was in her right state, which he believed she was. Why would she believe so fiercely that Tom was a Slytherin, and not just an ordinary one, but the Heir? Why did she react so shocked after knowing about Dumbledore? She tried to hide it, but Abraxas wasn't blind.

"Well, mate, you are completely insane.", he muttered to himself while walking to the Headmaster's office, only half awake and he was also wondering, with a shine of amusement in his eyes, what Tom would think of that._ He will have to find out for himself._

Dippet decided to call all the staff and the prefects to declare the new security rules. It was the forth attack this year, and the frequency was increasing. Whoever was causing this was becoming edgier.

OoOoO

Hermione spent quite some time thinking either she should follow Tom and warn him or not. Contrary to popular belief, Gryffindors do think once in a while, and she wondered if it was worth blowing her cover just to warn a older student, perfect capable of himself, about the basilisk. With the feeling of a dagger going through her heart, she decided not to. Hermione missed Harry's Invisibility cloak in a time like this.

She almost sighed in relief when Tom appeared at breakfast, looking a bit sleepier than normal, but, well, not a statue. Hermione knew that in her world a girl died in a bathroom not too long from the actual date, and before that, she would like to have the basilisk killed. She considered herself lucky because the monster was still a basilisk.

She stopped to think how Harry had killed it in her world. With a sword. And somewhat, the sword absorbed the venom and Hermione wondered if this fact was or would be important in the future – she snorted lightly – and if it was worth it. Abraxas believed quite quickly she may be from another universe, but she doubted he would join her in an attempt to kill a monster with a sword. And it even wasn't the bigger problem; the real problem was how to get the sword.

Burying her head on her hands, she tried to clear her thoughts. Letting her mind wander freely was dangerous these days. Soon, she would find herself missing the boys and everything else and wondering if she was ever coming back or not. And if she did, how aged she would be?

Headmaster Dippet didn't seem to consider about that special matter, but even if he did, what he could do? Hermione doubted that there was something to be done. The only thing she could do was pray that when she finally had the courage to tell him her crazy ideas, he believed and somehow work in a way to get her back.

Hermione was sure that sooner or later she would have to tell Dippet, or else, she would be sent back to her right time but then, it wouldn't be her world. And at least, where she was, she wasn't much of an outsider and frankly, she liked Eileen and Luc, she wasn't really sure about Tom and Abraxas, even though she knew nothing about him, he was rather enjoyable to be with when he wasn't worried with something else.

And it was almost time to Transfiguration. She knew what to expect – the teacher was still Minerva. She was really young, as Hermione could notice, and seemed really close to Dumbledore.

Hermione wasn't sure what her next steps would be, but she wasn't going to sit and wait the Heir to kill everyone.

P.S.: I shipped Minerva and Dumbledore when I was little – no shame. But I guess Minerva will be sort of like Bellatrix. Monologue chapter, yay.

Yellow14: It's just his inner Lovegood showing. I don't think that the upside down version of a Malfoy is a Weasley. And mostly, he doesn't think Hermione is delusional anymore and he, too, had been asking some questions about what she said or how she act. It makes sense to him.

Obssesivegirl73: Nah, I think Tobias will still be a muggle. But a magic lover one. I will at least mention him on the oncoming chapters.

Miss R.E Mulvey: Yeah, it's better. Wizards are still wizards, muggles will continue to be muggles.

Nalaagirl: For quite some time I wanted to write a time travel fanfic. But most of the plots are cliché and overused and I'm not a quite a good writer to turn a cliché into a good story with an actual plot and well written characters, so I accepted this challenge because it was different. Voila. Glad you like it and keep reading!

Joy Bells: I don't have a clue how to pronounce her name in English. I pronounce it in my good Portuguese: E-lean.


	8. Chapter 7: Now the fun begins

Hermione grew depressed as Christmas draw closer. She was highly frustrated.

She had no clue about everything. Either she would need the sword or not, or how she could open the chamber without being a parselmouth. If she should tell Dippet right away about her _crazy_ theory or not. And of course, her failure remembered her about her home and her Hogwarts and she tried really hard to not break down and let homesickness poison her thoughts, but it was getting harder.

The boys would have to face Umbridge alone and run the DA alone as well. They would be entirely lost. And the war could just have begun now. It has been almost a month. Anything can happen in a month.

Luckily, the attacks have subsided, and Hogwarts witnessed very quiet weeks. It was December, 21th, and the castle was almost empty. The attacks were an incentive for the students to go home. Hermione was alone in her dorms, because even Luc and Eileen have gone to their homes to spend the holidays with their families.

She couldn't sleep. And she wasn't thinking straight.

OoOoO

Abraxas and Tom were patrolling the corridors together. This became a habit after Hermione's arrival. And once again they were arguing like a married old couple either Hermione was crazy or not.

"I'm telling you, she's still having side effects. Did she even _went_ to Madam Pince?", Tom asked.

"No.", Abraxas replied stubbornly. "But she's fine, Tom! Can't you see she already is one of the top students from fifth year? Of course her mind is fine."

"I'm not saying her mind isn't fine. I'm saying that her memory might be… I don't know, scrambled, perhaps.", Tom said. For what Abraxas told him about her, she seemed to be fine, remembering things. Not correctly, of course, but she did remember. Which was rather weird. And a mystery Tom has been trying to solve for weeks, now, on top of his homework and his quest to discover the Heir.

Abraxas giggled. "She already got an answer for that.", he observed, with a crooked smile. "I've been waiting for you to think this by yourself, but I got to tell you, it's taking too long."

"Which answer? And why you didn't tell me?", Tom asked, narrowing his eyes and studying Abraxas thoughtfully. "How much have you been hiding?"

Abraxas raised his hands in surrender. "Despite her theory, nothing else. It's just because you aren't going to believe on what I'm going to say and you will think I'm bonkers too.", he explained, giggling a little more.

"I don't see what's so funny.", Tom pouted like a five year old, frowning slightly.

"You are.", Abraxas replied, with a grin. "But I'm serious. You will think I'm mad. And you won't believe it, and I actually think that the most reasonable answer, so…"

"What is so bad about her theory?", Tom asked again, pressuring Abraxas to tell. Tom was dying to know what he hid from him.

"Because it makes sense. And doesn't, at the same time.", Abraxas tried to put into words what he thought. He scratched his chin. "Because I think it never happened before. You know, wizards didn't mastered time yet. Or whatever the time-turner deals with."

"Yes. I studied the subject.", Tom spoke, letting his eyes wander around the paintings. "It's quite little material to work on."

"Indeed, my dear friend.", Abraxas agreed with a posh tone of voice. "Which says something. Many things are possible in this field. Many, many things."

"Spill it already, will you?", Tom said, impatient. "I promise I will hear whatever you have to say."

Abraxas snorted. "I find it to be really difficult.", he remarked, and then sighed. "Fine. I will tell you.", he made a pause. Tom was getting annoyed, much to Abraxas' amusement.

"Are you serious or are you teasing me?", Tom asked, almost hissing.

"Both.", Abraxas replied with a laugh. "I don't how to explain it to you, but…"

_Kill… Kill…_

"Shhh!", Tom cut Abraxas out.

"So now you don't want to listen.", Abraxas retorted, still with a hint of laughter on his eyes.

_Blood… I… Smell… Blood…_

"Remember when I told you I thought I was the Heir?", Tom said, trying to figure out where the voice came from.

"Yes.", Abraxas replied, already grabbing his wand. "I thought you were joking."

"I wasn't. And you want to know why I thought I was?", Tom whispered, walking cautiously, looking in every shadow for a giant snake. Abraxas didn't reply. "That's right, Abraxas.", Tom continued ironically. "I'm a parselmouth. And I can hear the monster."

"A basilisk, isn't it?", Abraxas said, swallowing hard. "It's chasing us?"

_Kill…_

"No.", Tom replied. "It's going in that direction.", he showed with his wand, to the left. "Someone is there."

"What a nice way to see if someone is wandering around after curfew.", Abraxas snorted, aiming his wand at everything that moved. Which was utterly wrong. If it was the basilisk, and if he looked at it, he would be dead.

"Isn't it?", Tom agreed, his voice was a sarcastic whisper.

_Blood… So close…_

Tom started to run and Abraxas followed him. Tom was saying very dirty obscenities under his breath and Abraxas, once again, was amused by Tom.

"Does the prefect swear on the free time?", he mocked, despite the serious situation.

_Blood… I want blood…_

Tom could feel the basilisk was going mad with the smell of human blood and Abraxas just followed him knowing that something really bad was going on; Tom was frowning deeply as he ran, following the whispers.

Abraxas caught a glimpse of color with the corner of his eye and turned his head. Hermione was running as well, they were in a point where two hallways met; and Hermione almost bumped into them.

"It's… After…", she said, trying to catch her breath. "Me."

"Follow me.", Tom replied, and went to the closest empty classroom, warding the door as soon as they all were inside. "It can't smell us here.", he explained. "Nor get inside."

"The basilisk.", Hermione said weakly . "It's after me. I… I heard something. Something I shouldn't have."

It was to Tom Riddle and a Malfoy she was going to say what she just heard. Hell, everything was really upside down.

P.S.: And this, ladies and gentlemen, is what happens when Hermione isn't thinking straight.

To who it may concern, Minerva is teaching because of three reasons: it would be quite creepy if she was like Bellatrix while being a student, Dumbledore isn't the Transfigurations teacher ( you will understand the reason later) and I thought it would be perfect to age her four or five years (she's 23) and solve two problems at once. Uh… Yeah. I tried to write her as being the Head Girl, but… No. The Head Girl is another person I'm dying to put in the story, much to Abraxas' dislike.

BellatrixReincarnation: The plot bunny isn't mine at all. Thank Evadne Riddle-Malfoy for the amazing challenge she created.

Lady Elizabeth of New York: The whole story is a twist. Well, thank you and keep reading!

Tina: Already explained, but thanks for noticing and reviewing.

Obssessivegirl73: Thank you and I hope I answered your question.


	9. Chapter 8: Another circumstances

"One moment, Hermione.", Abraxas whispered, laying a finger on her lips. "It still can hear us, I suppose.", he whispered to Tom.

"I can hear it if it's close.", Tom explained. "So there's no need for another ward."

"Oh, yes.", Abraxas replied normally. "Go on.", he said to Hermione, sitting at the teacher's desk, while Tom was pacing impatiently across the room.

Hermione was just standing. She wondered how Tom could hear the basilisk coming, but she didn't make any questions about it. "Dumbledore.", she spoke, her voice shaking considerably. "He wants to kill Dippet and take over Hogwarts. Soon, I think. I heard him speaking with McGonagall."

Abraxas frowned slightly and exchanged glares with Tom. "Isn't that obvious?", he asked. "The man is a snake. Literally… And he just gave for free the information that he's the one who controls the basilisk.", he added. "But he doesn't know you listened to the conversation, right? Or else you are in serious trouble."

"No. He said someone was hearing.", Hermione replied, falling on the nearest chair. "But he wasn't sure. Then he said he was sending the basilisk to find the person and… Well, I started to run for my life."

"We already are in serious trouble.", Tom remarked. "We know too much. If we at least give a hint of what we know, we are dead. If we do anything out of the normal, we are dead."

Abraxas shrugged. "That's really optimistic.", he observed.

"He has the entire legion of Grindelwald's followers at his side, and maybe some of his own.", Tom spoke. "There's no way out of this unless we stay quiet."

"But that's not right. You are just going to watch while Dumbledore attacks everyone with the basilisk?", Hermione asked in her best bossy tone she could muster.

"What you can do, Miss Granger?", Tom asked, with mockery. "If you do kill the basilisk, will just piss Dumbledore off, he's going after you and doesn't change the fact that he can take over Hogwarts with a bat of his lashes. Basilisk or not."

"Yes, but…", Hermione tried to retort.

"Tom is right.", Abraxas cut her off. "Trust the pessimist to say the truth."

"So you are just going to do _nothing_?", Hermione asked with her voice an octave higher than the normal.

"Wait isn't doing nothing.", Abraxas said lightly. "Unless you want to die without solving the real problem, and that's _exactly_ what is going to happen if you don't know how to be patient."

Angry was the understatement of the century to describe how Hermione was feeling towards Abraxas and Tom. She couldn't understand why they were going to wait to do something. Dumbledore could kill half of the school by the morning, and they _were going to wait._

"You realize that the basilisk is the least of the danger right now?", Tom said. "It's nothing more than a tool. Who's using the tool, on the other hand, is the real danger."

OoOoO

Luckily Dumbledore wasn't sure about who had overheard his conversation with McGonagall and Hermione was safe – for now. She spent the rest of the night thinking about what Tom and Abraxas said.

They were right. For now, there was nothing Hermione could do that was going to change anything. She thought about warning Dippet, but… Dumbledore was certainly a powerful wizard and he had a good army, as Tom and Abraxas told her, so even if the Ministry or someone else intervened, the chances of Dumbledore win a battle were high.

It was a new feeling. Be patient. Hermione remembered her misadventures on her world and on her time and indeed, patience was something she, Ron and Harry didn't have much. But it was another world, and another time and different circumstances, she thought. At her second year, Voldemort wasn't back yet and who was causing the attacks was a diary, and not the partner from the greatest Dark Wizard alive.

"You are right.", Hermione said with a heavy sigh, sitting in a couch near from where Tom was reading a old book.

"I know.", he replied with a crooked smile.

They spent a couple of minutes in silence and then Hermione spoke again: "You said last night you could hear the basilisk if it was close."

"Indeed.", Tom said, closing the book. "My mother was a Gaunt, a pureblood family which was connected to the Slytherin lineage before Salazar was born. I'm a parselmouth, but not the Heir. Didn't you wonder how we find you?"

Hermione frowned. Tom Riddle in her world also was a parselmouth. But still, Tom Riddle in the upside down world still fitted her theory.

"It takes a parselmouth to open the Chamber of Secrets.", Hermione spoke. "However, you can't control the basilisk. It only responds to Dumbledore."

Hermione wasn't really sure if she was right. But the basilisk was still there, and so the Chamber of Secrets legend. She was very aware that sooner or later Tom was going to ask her how she knew that much, but… Well, it wasn't like Hermione couldn't trust him after the last night.

Tom suspected that Hermione knew where the Chamber was located, but he decided not to ask her, because it was better for Hermione to keep what she knew for herself. She was safe as long as Dumbledore believed she knew nothing. And probably he would be watching whoever was in the castle for the holidays very closely. So Tom changed the subject.

"Are you hungry? I haven't had breakfast yet."

Hermione nodded and followed him downstairs, wondering why he didn't ask anything else.

The days passed and soon It was Christmas. Hermione actually got some really good gifts. A set with skin lotions and soaps with delicious smells from Luc, a diary to organize her homework from Eileen, an Advanced Arithmancy book from Abraxas and a beautiful hair tie from Tom. She was homesick, that's for sure, but Hermione couldn't help but feel happy, because for once she had more than two friends.

Tom and Hermione met a smelling like coffee Abraxas in breakfast.

"I slept in my desk and I soaked my Transfigurations essay.", Abraxas said without even greeting them. "Merry Christmas for me!"

"You still can read it?", Tom asked with a mischievous tone of voice.

"I think so.", Abraxas shrugged.

"Then McGonagall won't mind.", Tom replied with a grin.

Hermione giggled softly and Tom held back a laugh while serving eggs and sausages for himself. The laughter became a grim expression when Dumbledore walked past.

P.S.: Don't fool yourselves, dear readers; they don't know anything about Dumbledore's plans… It's something way bigger. And Tom didn't forget about what Abraxas was going to tell him. And the challenge has the romance part of it that I intend to work it out soon. Hint: it won't be with Tom or Abraxas so you can start digging up the old pureblood families.

Yellow 14: I have a thing for cliffhangers. Really, the plot bunny Evadne created was a really great idea, don't you think? I really hope I can write an amazing story with it. And Dumbledore is more evil than you think.

C8ecat: Abraxas is a mix of Xenophilius Lovegood, the Blue caterpillar and Bubbles, from powerpuff girls, believe it or not. I'm glad you liked my story.

Teresa-Lee Potter: Haha, thank you very much.

Obsessivegirl73: They will have an epic bromance, that's for sure… Thank you very much and keep reading!


	10. Chapter 9: Inadmissible

"What you were going to tell me when Hermione was almost attacked?", Tom asked.

"You didn't forget it, as I can see.", Abraxas replied with a heavy sigh. "I think it's better if she explains you. And besides, I want you to tell her that you overheard us that day."

"I don't think she will receive this very well.", Tom said, taking a sip of his coffee. Hermione decided to sleep in and he and Abraxas were early birds. "She will be mad. Especially at you."

"I know.", Abraxas spoke. "But I don't want keep this from her anymore. I fail to understand why you didn't tell her yet. We are alone in the castle, we can talk in peace. It's now or never."

Tom had a reason before. And it still was valid, even if the situation changed. He feared her reaction, above all. In November, it was because she thought Tom was the Heir. Now it was because they were friends, and partners in whatever the future would bring to them. Tom considered Hermione to be a great friend, as great as Abraxas. He didn't want to spoil everything.

"She's my friend, unlikely as it sounds.", Tom sighed. "Also, stubborn as a rock."

Abraxas giggled. "Yes. Merlin, where did she get _that_ from…?"

"I demand your presence in my funeral, _Malfoy_. And bring flowers to my coffin or else I will haunt you to death.", Tom threatened.

"Or we can haunt people together, _Riddle_.", Abraxas observed. "She will want my head over her fireplace."

And for about half an hour the two friends made plans about their deaths.

OoOoO

Hermione woke up feeling… Oh, she didn't even want to think about it. Guilty, mostly. It has been over a month since she appeared at the Room of Requirement. And in the first couple of weeks, she missed what she left behind. After that, not so much.

But since Christmas day… Well. The smiles came easier to her lips, her mind stopped to wander around the old memories… At night, she thought about the Dumbledore issue and what's coming ahead and not once she stopped to think about her world.

She knew exactly why, even if she didn't want to admit to herself. In her world, she got Harry and Ron that often accused her of being a know-it-all, bossy girl. Hermione was only the girl with a bushy hair who tried too much to be perfect.

In this world she had Tom, Abraxas, Eileen and Luc, who accepted her for who she was and, she had no doubts, liked her all the same. Of course that Eileen and Luc complained a bit that Hermione spent way too much time in the library, but they praised her intelligence much more than she was used to.

It felt wrong. Her parents were in her world, wondering where they daughter was. Harry and Ron must be worried as well. _Of course. From who they are copying their homework?_, she thought bitterly.

Abraxas was a mad genius and Tom was smart and powerful. Often, _they_ helped her with her homework, correcting her little mistakes and suggesting new improvements, creations they did. It was really hard to Harry and Ron to compete with them.

And there was Eileen and Luc. They were disorganized and sometimes loud, but they respect Hermione's space and had common sense. Luc gave Hermione some really good tips to curly hair and to keep it tamed and talked to her normally, like she was an old friend, and so did Eileen, in her own way.

She brought her knees to her chest, very disturbed by these thoughts. It was wrong. She had to miss home. Hermione went to the bathroom to take a shower, and she looked herself in the mirror and she didn't recognize what she saw.

Her hair was still a wild mess. But it wasn't anywhere near frizzy, the curls were well-defined and Hermione had to admit that her clothes were medieval, but Madam Malkin knew how to pick up a wardrobe. Hermione felt like she wasn't herself anymore, wondering, if she, too, went upside down.

After a long shower, she went downstairs to the common room. Tom and Abraxas were looking thoughtfully to a board of wizard chess. As soon as Abraxas saw her, he said: "Did you sleep well, Hermione?"

_Stop being so friendly,_ Hermione thought, but she nodded and she couldn't avoid smiling slightly and come closer to them.

Tom moved aside a bit to give her space to sit and watch the game. "I can tell.", he said. "You missed breakfast…"

"After I win this game we can go to the kitchens.", Abraxas suggested. "Horse. H 5."

"A cocoa would be nice…",Tom said. "And over my dead body you will win this game. Tower. A 6. Check."

"King. B-7.", Abraxas spoke with a grin.

Hermione watched them, and she felt guiltier than never.

"Bishop. C 3.", Tom said, his face with a serious expression.

"Tower. L 7. Check mate.", Abraxas said, with a wider grin. "The loser is a rotten egg."

"I let you win this one.", Tom explained, still studying the board. "I didn't want to defeat you in front of the lady."

Abraxas raised both eyebrows in mock surprise. "How considerate of you.", he spoke. "Let's move to the second breakfast, shall we?"

The breakfast was more than just a simple cocoa. Hermione didn't have the time to work on SPEW, but still she treated the elves very well and they served a complete breakfast for her.

But now Tom and Abraxas seemed to be really tense. Tom's jaw was clenched tight while he studied the content of his cocoa with much interest. Abraxas did the same with his coffee. Hermione ate in silence for a couple of minutes.

"Interesting game.", she said, but the words fell flat.

Tom rested his mug on the table and took a deep breath. "I know.", he spoke. "The game was certainly… Interesting. But there's something else I want to tell you. _We_ want to tell you."

He cleared his throat. "I know.", he said.

"About what?", Hermione asked, confused.

"About… Where you came from.", Tom said. "About the time-turner. I… I overheard."

Hermione turned to Abraxas. "You knew?", she asked, starting to get angry at them.

Abraxas nodded. "He asked to keep in secret. So I did as he told me to."

"Why didn't you tell me before?", Hermione spoke to Abraxas, hissing with her teeth clenched.

"I thought you were bonkers.", Abraxas confessed. "I hope you aren't mad at us.", he added, but he knew she was about to murder them both with the fork she had on her hands.

"Well, you will be disappointed.", Hermione said, dropping the fork and leaving the kitchens, almost blind with anger.

_How could they?_

P.S.: Poor Tom still doesn't know what he wants to know. Mainly because I'm still working in how he's going to react. He doesn't have an inner Lovegood like Abraxas. And I will explain Hermione's anger further in the next chapter. Also, I will be traveling for the next five days, with no internet. You can wonder what Dumbledore is up to.

C8ecat: I listen to my reviewers. It's very thoughtful of them to read and leave a review, and I think that talking to them is really important. And you can keep Abraxas (or Tom), no problem.

Yellow 14: The next chapters will be more about knowing the universe I created, but when you hear from Dumbledore again the thing will go down. Expect character(s) death. And my Tom is based on the real Tom Riddle, so mine can be extremely calculative.

Obssessivegirl73: And she will have to wait a little more. She's angry, and confused. And when Dumbledore make a move, I want her to be stable, because it will be really, really nasty. The revolutionary part of it is that Hermione isn't the know-it-all anymore, I think.


	11. Chapter 10: Another Black

"We are going after her.", Tom announced. "Aren't we?"

"Are you mad?", Abraxas asked. "Of course not. We are the last persons on Earth that she wants to see right now!", he continued. "She will be fine, Tom. Let's give her some space."

"Let's do that, Abraxas.", Tom said ironically. "She highly unstable, all alone, with a giant snake walking around the castle. Of course we are going to give her some space!"

"Your faith in Hermione is touching, Tom.", Abraxas replied calmly. "Listen, I know she's angry, but she won't do anything stupid. Hermione is wise; she will find somewhere safe to stay…"

At least, that was what Abraxas hoped. The results were different from those he imagined, and he wasn't expecting that she would explode and wander in the castle alone, in great danger. On the other hand, he didn't regret not keeping any secrets from her anymore. It was just a matter of time until she calms down and let us explain, Abraxas thought. However, she didn't show up for lunch and they started to be extremely worried about Hermione. A few hours passed, and no sign of her anywhere.

"Now it's the time when we give up on the idea of giving her some space?", Tom asked. "It's almost dinner."

"Yes.", Abraxas agreed. "Pretty much. Where we are looking first?"

The search was unsuccessful. The Thin Lady said Hermione left with them and didn't come back so far. They were clueless and desperate at dinner.

"Orion, did you see a murderous girl walking around all by herself lately?", Abraxas asked to his colleague, Orion Black, a Hufflepuff who he had Charms and Transfigurations with. "Curly brown hair and a deep purple dress, perhaps?"

"You know me.", Orion replied with a grin. "I never let a lady walk all by herself.", he added with a laugh. Abraxas laughed as well. Orion was an inch taller than Tom, who was considerably tall, and had an untamed black hair with fierce green eyes. Abraxas always joked that he hypnotized girls with them. Well, even if he did, it wasn't needed. Along with all that, he was funny and very charming.

"She's friends with your sister, Luc.", Tom explained further. "I wonder if you know Hermione Granger."

"Oh. She.", Orion said, scratching his chin. "I've seen her before… Well, if we are searching for her you can count me in.", he spoke with another laugh. "Too bad Luc and I aren't in good terms right now. But when was the last time you saw her?"

"Between breakfast and lunch, this morning.", Tom replied. "She was our friend and then… We might have done something bad and now she's angry at us."

"How do you know she didn't grab a broomstick and flew all the way to Ireland?", Orion asked. "But… I can try. Abraxas know I never failed to find a girl before…"

Abraxas patted him friendly in the back. "I'm really hoping she isn't in Ireland and that your outstanding abilities will help me out this time.", he said.

OoOoO

Orion started to think mockingly that this might be this first time he ever failed to find a girl. Hermione was very well hidden. It was almost midnight and still no sign so far. They decided to split and Orion was now searching the fifth floor. He doubt that Hermione was in that specifically floor, but if what Abraxas and Tom was true, she could be anywhere. He wondered if Hermione knew he existed – he and Luc weren't in such good terms since Orion first came to Hogwarts. He searched through the whole fifth floor and nothing, so he went to the sixth.

Nothing on the sixth. It was almost midnight, and Orion decided he would look in the seventh and then find Tom and Abraxas and go to sleep. He wasn't a genius like Abraxas, he needed to sleep so he could focus and study for the NEWTs. After half an hour, he thought he was lost. It was the third time he passed the tapestry with the crazy old guy teaching trolls to dance ballet, he was sure of it. The tapestry wasn't easy to forget. Trolls are good ballerinas. Orion stood in front of the tapestry, watching the tapestry move and he heard a noise behind him.

He turned around, and where was the blank wall, a door appeared. Not very large; seemed to be a common door from a bedroom. He frowned and walked silently towards it. After seven years of Hogwarts he knew how much the rooms were temperamental. He opened in slightly and stretched his neck to see what was inside. It was, indeed, a bedroom, which could belong to a nine years old, all pink and fluffy.

"Go. Away.", a girl hissed. Orion studied the room to see where the voice was coming from.

"Hermione?", he asked.

"I said: Go away!", the girl Orion thought it was Hermione since he never heard her voice hissed again.

"Look, I know you are angry at Tom and Abraxas for whatever they have done, but-", he started to explain, stepping inside and finding Hermione aiming her wand at him from a distant corner of the room, where a couch was. "Wow. Calm down.",

"I don't want to talk to them.", Hermione said stubbornly, not lowering her wand and wiping a tear from her cheek with the free hand.

"They are worried.", Orion spoke, putting his wand on his pocket. "You haven't showed up for lunch. Nor dinner."

"Doesn't matter.", Hermione replied dryly. "I want to be alone. If you don't leave now I will make you. I'm warning."

"Can we talk?", Orion asked. "You are crying."

"No.", Hermione said, holding back her tears. Her anger with Tom and Abraxas turned into missing home. And then she wondered what happened in the month she was away, and then she started to think that Voldemort took control of the Ministry and everyone was dead. And then she started to cry. "I don't even know who you are."

"I'm Luc's brother. Orion.", he replied. "You never heard of me, I suppose."

"No."

"All you can say is no?"

"No. I mean…", Hermione mumbled. "Can you just leave? I don't want to talk."

"I've been looking for you since dinner and it's almost midnight.", Orion said. "So, no, I'm not leaving unless you leave with me. And you didn't eat since… Breakfast, I think. Aren't you hungry? I can take you to eat, if you want to. Talk isn't necessary."

Hermione was hungry. And well, he was Luc's brother. His green eyes were exactly like hers. She lowered her wand, at least. "No talk.", she sniffed and left the Room of Requirement with Orion following her closely. Her dinner choices weren't the healthiest. She asked for a large portion of pudding and within five minutes it was gone. Then she asked for another.

"You were hungry.", Orion observed.

"I couldn't stand meeting them.", Hermione explained, forgetting the no talk rule. "They kept an important thing from me for a month! What kind friends are they?"

Hermione certainly wouldn't go babbling about it with a strange boy she just met in normal circumstances, however Orion seemed to be a nice guy and he was looking for her. Tom and Abraxas would never find her in the Room of Requirement. She asked for a room where they specifically couldn't find her, but she guessed if anyone else was looking for her, then he or she could get in the room.

"But they told you. Today.", Orion thought out loud. "Or yesterday, depends on the hour."

"Yes.", Hermione sniffed.

"So you are angry at them because they told you?", he asked. "_The thing_?"

"Yes."

"They are deadly worried with you. I bet they are still looking for you.", Orion said. "Look. You can be angry at them, but… At least listen what they have to say."

Hermione didn't reply. Well, looking in a certain angle… _They told me, didn't they? They could've not told me, but they did._

"Where are they?", she asked, finally.

"Searching for you…", Orion replied. "We split one and a half hour ago."

"I will listen.", Hermione agreed. "Tomorrow."

P.S.: Orion's arrival will unravel some things about Luc and Eileen's friendship. And so about Luc's character and about the Blacks. Also I changed my Pen Name to Wendelin W. because I didn't really like the old one. It was just a random name I picked. Wendelin W. is inspired on Wendelin the Weird. I liked it. But I'm still the same.

C8ecat: It's actually a good thing you like Abraxas so much because, originally, he was going to be the gryffindor quidditch captain à la James Potter… Abraxas 1.0 was awful.

Obssesivegirl73: No wonder. Being trapped fifty three years in the past and in another world must suck.

Yellow 14: Nah, it would be too boring… Tom, Abraxas and Orion would be extremely similar, almost the same. I didn't want that.


	12. Chapter 11: Soap opera

Before letting Hermione go to bed, Orion knocked on her forehead softly. "Sure everything is fine there?", he said, referring to her head.

"Not so much.", Hermione confessed.

Hermione knew she was being unreasonable. She wasn't a psychologist or anything, but she knew that shutting down everything she felt – the guilt, the homesickness – just made everything worse. She was very proud of handling with the entire situation very well, but now she saw how wrong she was. Truth was: she never truly spoke with Abraxas about her world. Meddling with time was dangerous, yes, but she didn't come from their future. She spoke about facts and everything, but she never spoke about Harry or Ron, or her friends and her parents... And not a word about how she felt without them. All her life she befriended boys, Hermione learnt not to talk about her feelings. The fiasco of the Yule Ball told her as much.

Well, basically, after the whole night awake in her bed, she realized she wanted to feel miserable, perhaps. Her old world was falling apart, and it felt like a weird dream being in this world, having a second breakfast with her friends. It has been only a little more than a month – it was normal that she felt confused for liking the new world and missing the old one. But no, Hermione never let herself be a normal girl for once in her life. Books and studying were her specialties, emotions were a dangerous path. Especially her own. Hermione snorted at girls like Lavander and Parvati whose lives were an endless drama.

True enough. At least if she was going to be unreasonable and act childish, she was going to let Tom and Abraxas know it wasn't their fault. Maybe they didn't have the emotions range of a teaspoon and she even could explain herself and her angst turmoil.

OoOoO

"I found her.", Orion announced, raising his arms in victory. "My abilities never fail. We went to the kitchens, ate pudding, and then she went to bed. She's going to talk to you guys tomorrow."

"Really?", Abraxas asked. "For Merlin's beard, you are a god."

"You can say that.", Orion agreed. "But… She's a refugee, isn't she? I wonder how she's coping with it."

Tom and Abraxas exchanged glares. Orion didn't have a clue Hermione's true story but he had a point. "She doesn't tell me anything about… You know, coping.", Abraxas replied.

Orion shrugged. "She tells if you listen."

OoOoO

"So you have been watching us playing chess for the past fifteen minutes from the stairs.", Abraxas observed, still looking at the chess board. "I understand this as you aren't mad at us anymore."

Hermione was really there, at the stairs, unsure of what to say. Either she should explain herself, or… She didn't have a clue. "That's correct.", Hermione replied, making her way downstairs. "I shouldn't act like that last night.", she started.

Tom and Abraxas interrupted the game. "Really?", Tom asked skeptically.

"Yes, it's been hard for me.", Hermione said, sitting on the couch. "My old world was close to fall apart when the time-turner broke. It feels wrong to be here, safe so far, talking to you and not thinking so much about what I left behind."

Tom raised an eyebrow and looked at Abraxas. He didn't say anything, but Abraxas could understand what he was thinking. _Old world?_

"I mean… My parents. They must be worried. And I had a cat too. Hogwarts is… Was being controlled by the Ministry under the orders of Voldemort and the Ministry is also trying to cover the fact that he's back.", she continued. "Everyone's in danger."

Tom fought to hold his tongue, remembering Orion's words. She tells if you listen. But Tom wondered how much about the future she was going to tell them. Also, who was Voldemort anyway? Didn't seem like a name. Abraxas was wondering the same. Hermione never told him about Voldemort.

"Voldemort?", Abraxas said, frowning and leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

Half an hour later, when Hermione had explained more or less everything that was happening in her world, Tom was more confused than ever. Hell would freeze over before Dumbledore follows the light path. And Hermione also said he was a teacher when the attacks happened, precisely in 1942. It was December 31th. What she said couldn't be true. Dumbledore was the Heir. And he certainly wasn't going to fight against whoever Voldemort was.

"And his true name…", Hermione said, making a pause. "It's Tom Marvolo Riddle. I am Lord Voldemort is an anagram."

Tom immediately touched his nose and his hair. He was quite proud of his hair, actually, and there was no way he would become what Hermione said. And there was even less way that he would ever chase a Hermione's friend like she claimed he did. Most of all, he didn't have the taste for dramatic nicknames.

"It's impossible, I… I would never do that.", Tom mumbled, extremely confused. "You know I wouldn't. Voldemort…?"

Abraxas giggled. "Ridiculous, I know.", he said, almost out of breath. Hermione watched his reaction and Abraxas' amusement to finally make the connection.

"You didn't tell him, did you?", she asked to Abraxas. Abraxas said no with his head, biting his lips to not laugh harder than he was, enjoying Tom's confusion. "Oh."

Tom's glare went from Hermione to Abraxas and then back at Hermione. "What?"

"It's not your future, Tom.", Hermione spoke. "Because I am from another future. Another world."

Tom frowned. "But that's not possible!", he retorted.

"Well, tell us which is more possible: you becoming Voldemort or Hermione coming from another world.", Abraxas said. "It's quite hard to believe, I reckon, but it makes sense. And wizards never mastered Time… So I think everything can happen when a time-turner breaks."

"If this is true, then… You are probably never coming back.", Tom spoke softly, his dark eyes studying Hermione's face, finally understanding what she was going through. He was still skeptical, of course, but… Hermione wasn't crazy and Tom would never become such a monster.

"The chances are thinner than you.", Abraxas replied for Hermione. Tom normally would retort that he wasn't that thin, but it wasn't a normal occasion.

"Yes… And I feel… Guilty, I guess, because I… Don't miss my world so much.", Hermione said, rubbing one hand on another. "And I should, shouldn't I? I loved… I love them. I feel like I'm betraying my friends. My old friends. My family and everything."

"It's not wrong not to dwell in old memories and things that probably won't come back.", Abraxas observed. "Do you want them, your friends and parents, to suffer for you forever?"

"No, I don't think so.", Hermione replied honestly. It was very selfish from her to want them to suffer forever. After all, she wanted them to be happy. Her parents are young, they could have another child or adopt and the boys… Well, they would find a way to move on.

"Then I guess they don't want the same for you.", Abraxas said, and they remained in silence for some time. "But today is Tom's birthday, then I _also_ guess we should celebrate a little."

P.S.: Tom _finally_ knows. Lord, it was hard to write… Hermione will keep coming back to the past, dear readers, unfortunately. I'm not sure if she was aware she was in love with Ron in OotP, but I'm guessing she was, so… Yeah. _Guess what_.

Obssesivegirl73: I try to make the characters as diverse and different as possible, and I like hufflepuffs. Basically.

C8ecat: Nope, but now that you said… I really wanted to make a Potter, but the Potters aren't as well documented as the Blacks and the Malfoys. I don't want to make any OCs… The irony in this is that everyone in my story is an OC. But no, Orion isn't based in a Potter. Actually he is a zodiac sign.

Joy Bells: Hope your doubts are now answered. And the portrait was going to be the Thin Lord. But then I changed.


	13. Chapter 12: Boys

The holidays ended and it was the day the students were coming back from home. It was the second day of 1943.

"Good morning.", Orion yawned when he saw the trio at the lunch table.

"Good afternoon, more like it.", Abraxas replied. "I was about to check if you weren't dead."

"No I wasn't…", he replied. "Just extremely lazy. But, hey, breakfast looks delicious today.", he added with a sleepy laugh. Orion sat at Hermione's side, giving her a quick kiss in the forehead. Hermione blushed furiously and stared at her plate, while Orion started to serve himself like nothing had happened. For him it was normal, and he didn't see Hermione blushing.

Tom grinned. "I'm starting to master your techniques, Orion.", he observed.

Orion laughed. "No.", he replied. "I used a brand new technique called _the pudding_. Hermione did the talk. Effective so far, isn't it, Hermione?"

He was looking at Hermione and she felt embarrassed, yet she giggled a bit and nodded, trying to act normal.

If Hermione had to describe Orion in one word, she wouldn't find any. He was rather… And no words came to Hermione's mind. _Well, he is different_. That's all she could think about. He showed his friendship physically, unlike Tom and Abraxas. Hermione certainly wasn't used to that. Krum, as long as Hermione could remember, only kissed her on the lips at the Yule Ball and Harry or Ron never kissed her. It was different. And Hermione wasn't sure what to think about it.

OoOoO

Luc released a long, high squeak when she saw Hermione. "Mione! I loved your present!", she said, giving Hermione a rib crusher hug. "Did you like mine?"

"Yes.", Hermione replied, trying to catch her breath again. "How was your Christmas?"

"Was good.", Luc said, and then smirked, raising her eyebrows suggestively. "You should ask about Eileen's, though…"

Eileen crossed her arms in front of her chest and shrugged. "It was normal, like any other Christmas.", she replied in a monochord tone. Hermione noticed she was wearing a delicate necklace, something Hermione never imagined Eileen would wear. She was a box of surprises. "I don't know what Luc is talking about."

"_Right_.", Luc wiggled her eyebrows and giggled. "We should go to our dorms and change clothes, then. I'm so happy I am back! I already spoke to Tom, did you see that?", she asked, climbing up the stairs with a huge smile. Eileen groaned and followed Luc.

Luc didn't really change her clothes. She just fell on the bed. "Tom makes me want to melt…", she sighed. "He's so perfect!"

"He's just a guy, Luc.", Eileen said.

Luc sat on her bed. "So _Tobias_ doesn't make you want to melt…?"

Hermione could notice the faintest blush in Eileen's cheeks. "No.", Eileen replied curtly. "He's_ also_ just a guy."

"Who's Tobias?", Hermione asked. She never met a boy with this name in Hogwarts. Or at least, she didn't remember.

"He lives down in the _same_ street Eileen lives. He's so much fun. I've met him once.", Luc replied standing up. "He's a muggle, but that isn't a problem, is it?", she said and snatched something from Eileen's trunk. Eileen rolled her eyes and went to the bathroom to change.

It was three photos. The first was a common muggle photo with a very young Eileen taking a bath in a lake, her cheeks and nose very red from the bright sun. She was perhaps five in that picture and she was smiling to the camera. There was a boy, Tobias, Hermione guessed, splashing water at her. At first Hermione saw nothing special on him, except for the almost hazel eyes glittering with amusement. He was six perhaps and had a _really_ disheveled dark brown hair.

The second one was also a muggle photo with twelve years old Eileen and the same boy. Eileen was wearing a big sweater with a snowman knit on it, and they were putting glass balls in a Christmas tree. Eileen was smiling while Tobias held two balls in front of her eyes to the camera. But now he had caught Hermione's attention. While he grew taller, his face had changed a little and his nose was crooked as before, however longer. Hermione remembered she read in her science books that in puberty, boys suffer from a major bone structure change.

The third one was magic picture. Now Hermione was really interested in who Tobias was. It was from the Christmas that just passed, apparently, and Eileen was being tickled on the sides by Tobias. He should be sixteen by then, and his face was extremely familiar to Hermione. Eileen was definitely laughing. Hermione studied Tobias and she had no idea why she thought he was familiar.

"And he gave her the necklace she is wearing.", Luc said. "Poor Tobias, Eileen is really hard to get."

Hermione turned the pictures. Her jaw dropped.

_Eileen Prince and Tobias Snape, 1942_

_Here lies the proof that Eileen laughs_

"Is there something wrong, Hermione?", Luc asked, frowning slightly. Hermione suddenly opened a wide smile.

Since she formed her theory, she was wondering if Eileen was really upside down. After a few time of friendship, she found out quite a lot about her, but nothing that could indicate how she was out of place. Now Hermione knew. She was Snape's mother. Well, sort of. She was sure Snape in this world would be quite different from the one in her world. Hermione was looking forward to that, since she knew that the chances of coming back were thinner, thinner than Tom. She still did research, of course, but she wasn't close of a solution… And she didn't even know how to tell Dippet.

"No, not at all.", Hermione said. "Is he really funny?", she asked, genuinely interested. It wasn't muc

"Yes, you can't spend one minute in the same room with him without laughing.", Luc replied. "Not even Eileen can resist the urge… But he's odd. He wants to be an engineer. I don't picture him being an engineer."

Hermione looked at the photos again with a new look. Eileen appeared again. "Are we done with the show?", she asked, taking the pictures away. Then she looked at the back of the magic picture and smirked a little. She grabbed a quill and ink. Luc and Hermione got closer to see what she was writing.

_Shut up, Tobias!_

"Now the show is done.", Eileen said. "Dinner, anyone?"

"And about you, Hermione?", Luc asked. "Have you met… A special boy yet?"

"No.", Hermione replied. If she really had a female friend in her world and she made that very question Hermione would reply with the obvious: Ronald Weasley. But… Ron is far away now, Hermione thought. She wondered how he was dealing with her loss.

On their way for dinner, they met Luc's friend, Ignatius.

"Ignatius!", Luc squeaked, giving him the same rib crusher hug. "How was your Christmas?"

"It was… It was really good.", he replied patting her back awkwardly. "And yours?"

Eileen raised a suggestive eyebrow to Hermione, smirking. Luc smiled. "Same.", she replied. "We are going to dinner. Are you coming?"

"Of course he's coming.", Eileen interrupted. "Let's go before I starve to death, you two."

Eileen and Hermione went to the Great Hall in the front, and Hermione could overhear Ignatius' stories about his Christmas and how he almost lost his pinky finger frozen and Luc's giggles. Hermione really couldn't understand Luc: day over day she spent drooling over Tom, who almost never spoke to her, and there was Ignatius, the clumsy boy who made her laugh basically every day. And he was clearly head over heels for her. And now she also couldn't understand Eileen as well. Tobias seemed to be a really nice guy and yet Eileen said she wasn't in love with him. Hermione thought it shouldn't be that hard… At least Hermione considered love to be a somewhat logical thing.

P.S.: Hermione will understand very soon, dear readers. It won't take too long: I really suck at romance. It's really hard to write about romance if the writer never fell in love. So, forgive my awkwardness towards the matter. Also, it's not a love story, just to make things clear, because it will take several chapters until Dumbledore actually do something, or rather, something will happen that might or might not have Dumbledore's finger in it. Your guess :)

C8ecat: Her mood will go up and down, actually. But she forgives Ron for so much that I have the impression she's very forgiving, so I used that. And yes, Orion is really cocky. But he's nothing like James. The character I based on him was actually Hagrid, who will show up again later… The good news is: Abraxas isn't the jealous type.

Sbp90: I hope I haven't disappointed you so far. So, good you liked my story so much… And feel free to review if you have anything you wish to say. Criticism is welcome.

Obssessivegirl73: You just added two characters to the plot, yay. Lol, you have no idea, you solved a huge problem I had with the plot. Thank you immensely.


	14. Chapter 13: Back to classes

Hermione was working harder than ever. While she had all the homework she felt she needed to do in advance, she had two parallel researches and her days were way to busy. The weather started to heat up and the snow was melting, and every time Hermione looked at the window she had the impression she was wasting time.

Paradoxically, she was getting easily distracted. It has been fifteen minutes since she started to look at the window to basically watch the snow melt, wondering all sort of things… Dumbledore was scheming to kill Dippet and that could happen at any time. And yet nothing changed and she still wasn't in condition to do anything, with her quill on her hand, without actually writing anything on her Herbology essay. She snapped out of her state suddenly.

_Properties of the plants that suffer the influence of the moon_, she wrote. She already knew this by heart, due to her outstanding abilities of memorization. All she needed to do was write everything she knew in a parchment, and Hermione seemed to fail on that task for the past twenty minutes.

"Properties of the plants that suffer the influence of the moon.", Orion read loudly, making Hermione jump. "Plants are _boring_, honestly. Transfiguration, on the other hand…", he said sitting across the table, spreading his material.

"Herbology is very useful.", Hermione replied, now writing furiously in her parchment.

"Changing desks into pigs is also very useful.", Orion observed, spreading his material in the table. "If you ever need extra bacon for your breakfast."

They both giggled and concentrated in their respective essays for a couple of minutes. Hermione was really puzzled by Luc and Orion's nonexistent relationship so far. Luc didn't even know Hermione met Orion, because Hermione was very cautious. She didn't even mention and Eileen did the same. And again she started to dwell. Her hand lay flat on the parchment. It was still too much of information to Hermione gather in her head, and the whole dynamics in this new world she just jumped in was a mystery for her. Orion and Luc were brother and sister, yet they never spoke to each other. Dumbledore was somehow evil and Merlin knows how he is the Heir. Hermione still have no clue if the Blacks were or not a pureblood family.

And Hermione couldn't help but imagine how Harry's father and Harry's mother will be… They are yet to born, and this is the generation of their parents. So far Hermione didn't met a Potter, so Hermione just had her imagination. She wondered way too much about Sirius, since she studied the Black family tree, and Orion was his father. Orion was somewhat cocky, but he had a good heart and was a good person nevertheless, Hermione could see it. And after all, Voldemort wouldn't even exist, since Tom Riddle was actually a very nice human being.

Hermione also wondered very much about the Malfoys as well…

"Uh… I have to go Hermione.", Orion said suddenly. "See you later.", he added, gathering his things and leaving quickly.

Hermione frowned at his sudden exit, but she spotted Luc and Eileen across the library. She waved at them, and soon the three girls were studying together.

OoOoO

"Where were you all this time, Malfoy?", a short, chubby girl snarled. "I sent you a note to get you here on time."

"I'm really sorry I can't get from one of the tallest towers in the castle to the Hospital Wing in two minutes, Longbottom.", Abraxas yawned, too sleepy to deal with the Head Girl. "What happened?"

"Dippet is feeling ill.", Augusta Longbottom, Slytherin Head Girl replied, with little concern on her voice. There could be triumph, perhaps, if you listened closely. But it wasn't Abraxas case. The NEWTs were close and he cut off a good chunk of his patrols to have the time to study to everything. But passing out in the desk became a habit to him. "He wanted to see you and Riddle.", she completed, sneering at Riddle.

"How ill?", Abraxas asked, now wide-awake.

"He felt difficult to breathe, I don't know, I'm not a Healer.", Longbottom shrugged. "And where's you Gryffindor little friend?"

Abraxas shrugged like the short Head Girl. "I don't know, I'm not a map.", he retorted. Now that he was suddenly wide awake it was really hard to restrain his tongue against the vicious Augusta Longbottom. She didn't hide from anyone that she was joining Grindewald and Dumbledore when she graduates and her preference for Slytherin over the other houses. _Pathetic._

Short after Tom appeared at the Hospital Wing. Pince was too busy running up and down with potions and people that Headmaster wanted to see, even if she kept mumbling that her patient needed to rest. He was really sleepy, yet his hair was on place. Abraxas' hair was mildly long, and it was everywhere, and he didn't even bother.

"What I missed?", Tom asked.

"Dippet is ill.", Abraxas replied. "He had problems breathing and he's now receiving proper treatment, and he wants to see us.", he continued, sparing his ears of the torture to hear Longbottom's voice once more. Tom narrowed his eyes slightly, and Abraxas knew what he was thinking, but they weren't going to discuss the matter with company in the room, especially _that_ one.

"Oh well.", Tom sighed and dropped to closest bed, making Abraxas wonder was he was still standing.

McGonagall opened the curtains of the bed Dippet was resting and she scowled. "Mr. Riddle and Mr. Malfoy, the Headmaster is waiting for you. At least you should have given the respect of changing your… Clothing, so to speak. This isn't a slumber party.", she said, looking at a barefooted Abraxas and a still on his pajamas Tom Riddle.

"Yes, ma'am.", Tom replied. However the two boys rolled their eyes like small children when McGonagall walked away from them, to talk with the Head Girl.

Abraxas was very aware of Dippet's uneasy breathing when he closed the curtains. He wanted to be a Healer, and he knew a thing or two. "Did you want to see us, Headmaster?", Abraxas asked, his voice more like a whisper. Dippet was ten years older than the last time the boys saw him.

"Yes.", Dippet whispered and swallowed hard, trying very hard to catch his breath. "I'm getting old.", he made a effort to say after a minute, with a faint, rare smile. The Headmaster was always serious. "I'm not dying… Not yet."

He waved his hand to make the boys come closer. "But there's something… I need to talk… To you. Hermione.", he spoke slowly. Another pause. "The centaurs… they called me. The stars… Changed. They are really… Difficult. The change has been… Really big."

Tom and Abraxas exchanged glares. Dippet smiled again. "You know already…", he observed. "A traveler… From another world… Indeed."

"Listen, Headmaster, you should rest a little before telling us the rest.", Abraxas said calmly. "You have to rest."

"Just… A little more.", Dippet whispered. "In my office… I've been… Working in something… That might take her back...", he said. "Time-turner… Is the password. Go… You can finish."

Madam Pince opened the curtains slightly. "Is the visit over, boys? Listen, the Headmaster needs to rest: it is a bad lung infection.", she said softly. "He needs to sleep, but he will be fine… Go back to bed, both of you!"

Tom and Abraxas left, but not to their beds…

P.S.: I think Hermione will end up as a fanfiction writer… Lol. Also my evil characters will be really and straight forward evil, because I don't have the writer skills to make complex characters such as Snape or the real Dumbledore _nor_ the time. I usually wait a day to upload a new chapter but tomorrow I have to work my ass off in my other story. I'm basically clueless about how to continue it, and I need a day to think. Sucks.

Rheana: Glad you liked it! I put a lot of effort into the characters, indeed. Molly was a Prewett, actually. Ignatius is a Prewett… And I _always_ spoil a lot – but my spoilers aren't totally trustable, since I tend to change the story a lot, every single day. No shame. But I will pay more attention to what I give away, thanks for the warning! HAHA, suffer, readers!

C8ecat: James lover or not James lover, you have to agree that he was a jerk in his teenage years. For the minimum stage time Hagrid had, you can see that he's also a jerk.

Obssessivegirl73: I can't really work on their relationship but I can mention it along the chapters, since the time passes and Hermione is making stronger bonds with the girls. Eileen is very reserved, yet she gives away pretty much enough for you to see what she is thinking.

Yellow14: Right? Sanity isn't not a common accessory… Well, Hermione will have a lot of mood swings, mainly because she's a teenager, she has the total right.


	15. Chapter 14: Confusing stuff

Tom's mind was filled with different ideas, each one quite improbable. At least the centaurs have told Dippet about Hermione, because they certainly weren't going to, not in a close future, anyway. And Dippet was right: the centaurs were difficult, but it had to be a massive change in the stars for the centaurs to reveal what they saw. Tom knew Dippet wasn't telling them everything, but it was really foolish of a Headmaster to reveal everything for two students, and that's what Tom and Abraxas were, despite their brilliant academic life. And he seemed to be quite sure he wasn't going die there. The centaurs revealed that to him too?

Abraxas was thinking quite in the same lines, however he was thinking a bit ahead of his friend. "No, he wasn't poisoned.", he stated. "Where's the fun in that?"

They were in Dippet's office, trying to find what he was working on. It was a quite mess, and it was hard to find something they didn't know how it looked like in a mess. Could be a parchment, a book, or even a device, they didn't know. And the office was filled with devices they never saw before. Well… Abraxas started to regret telling Dippet to rest. He should've told Dippet to speak, he mused, then they would know what they are looking for…

"What do you mean?", Tom asked. "How can a person find any fun in killing the Headmaster?"

Abraxas shrugged. "He wants to assume control of Hogwarts, doesn't he?", Abraxas started. "He could try to control the Ministry, because it's more important than Hogwarts, if you ask me. It's a demonstration of strength, of his powers. He would look like a coward to take over Hogwarts after Dippet's death from old age. At least, that's what's everyone is going to think."

Tom was busy reading a bunch of parchments he found in a cabinet. Abraxas was quite right, however… "Why does he want to proof his strength? He has all the Grindelwald's followers at his side, and even Grindelwald himself.", Tom mused. "He doesn't need to proof anything."

"I know.", Abraxas confessed. "That's what is confusing me. He doesn't need to, but he's doing it anyway.", he continued. "Also he wants to keep it a secret. It isn't a secret from anyone; honestly, I don't understand why he had to make the basilisk attack Hermione if she was just listening to the obvious. Many things don't make sense in this."

"You are right.", Tom said. "And Dippet seemed to be really sure he wasn't going to die.", he observed. "The centaurs told him so, or he was thinking like you…? Then perhaps it would explain why we are here for the past one hour trying to find his project. He doesn't think he's going to die now: but he thinks he will, and soon."

Indeed, while they talked, they were searching in every cabinet, drawer, locker or anything alike for something they didn't know what it was. Tom thought it was a book or a parchment with new and not yet perfect spells, while Abraxas thought about a device. The office had quite a big space and thousands of old documents, parchments and also devices. It was a tough task to find anything there.

"Tom, look at this.", Abraxas said, studying a parchment thoughtfully. "Doesn't this look like time travel stuff?"

It was a parchment completely covered in complicated equations and notes. Luckily, the quite advanced Arithmancy equations were solved: the notes, however, were confused. Dippet sketched a few spells he thought it would work, new spells that he expected the boys would finish. Tom recognized some Latin in his notes: tempus, that meant time, and also solis, that meant sun.

"That's it.", Tom replied. "We need to show Hermione. Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?", Abraxas asked with a sly smile. "Let's wake her up."

OoOoO

Hermione woke up from her slumber with a poke on her back. She thought she was still dreaming and she was imagining somehow she was being poked. Hermione turned around. But she opened her eyes suddenly when she heard what she thought was a giggle. Another poke.

"Hermione… Wake up.", yet another poke. "There's something we need to tell you."

"Tom?", Hermione asked, rubbing her eyes. "Abraxas? What you are doing here?", she whispered. "What if you wake up the girls?"

"Come with us.", Abraxas replied whispering. Hermione wondered what could be so important that she had to wake up three in the morning, but they feared for their heads, Hermione supposed. She also wondered why they could go there… Perhaps the girls couldn't go in the boy's dormitory in this world, Hermione got in a conclusion, and then she got up, dragging her feet downstairs.

"What?", she asked, trying very hard to not fell on the floor and take a nap right there. "Something important happened?"

"Many important things happened tonight… Or today.", Tom replied. "But what we want to show you is in Abraxas' quarters, because we can't talk about it here."

Hermione followed them dragging her feet, trying to fix her hair, which should be extremely messy by then… The Head Boy's quarters were in a tall tower, close from the Astronomy tower. Hermione almost flinched when Abraxas opened the door. There was books everywhere – on the desk, on the floor, on the shelves and opened on the bed – and parchment and quills, everything out of place. Also there was a Potion set on a table, and there were piles of books that worked as shelves for the ingredients.

"NEWTs.", Abraxas said simply. "Dippet is in the Hospital Wing.", he added casually, sitting on a small couch near a fireplace: the only place on the room that didn't have anything on top of it. Tom sat as well, but Hermione stood on her feet.

"You mean Dumbledore tried to kill him?", Hermione asked, shocked, and with her voice high pitched. "He is in danger?"

"In danger Dippet already is.", Tom replied, scowling a bit. "The thing is: it's a lung infection, so it's wasn't poison, and he's not going to die. However he seems to be aware that he's in the danger, and he gave us one thing that you might like."

Abraxas grabbed a piece of parchment from his pocket and unfold it, giving it to Hermione see. Hermione read it carefully, pacing across the room, trying not to bump on anything. Equations, notes… Hermione couldn't understand it very well, but she could understand that these were new spells being created, but not entirely perfect. "What is this?"

"Your way back home.", Abraxas said with a satisfied tone. "Dippet is working on it; he said we could end it… He knows."

"Is there somebody else who is knowing and I'm not aware?", Hermione questioned the boys. Well, it wasn't a bad thing that they told the Headmaster, since Hermione held in her hands the key for going back home, and she wasn't going to tell the Headmaster by herself, that was clear. She didn't know what to think about the possibility of going home, not with Dumbledore in Hogwarts, ready to attack.

"No one, I think.", Tom sighed. "The centaurs told him about it. Your presence here disturbed the future, Hermione. So greatly that the centaurs shared their views on the future with a human.", he explained. "I wasn't expecting that, honestly, if you want my opinion."

"And what about Dippet? We are still going to wait?", she questioned further, her eyes jumping from one boy to another.

"Listen, Hermione, we are still in the same place.", Abraxas said. "Even though now everything is much more confusing. Why Dumbledore wants Hogwarts, if he could have the Ministry? Why won't he kill the Headmaster right away, and mostly, why Dumbledore didn't do anything so far? What's holding him back?"

P.S.: Confusing, isn't it? _I know. But I have everything worked out._

Joy Bells: No, of course not! Actually, you hit the specific point I wanted to make: Hermione _was_ being a Drama Queen, sort of. I noticed how she doesn't talk much about her feelings, and in a situation like hers, it's a bad thing. She is a girl, and she misses home while she likes the new world, and it's a lot of things for her to handle without talking to anyone.

C8ecat: I will bring the bucket :) Lol, I like the suspense.

Obsessivegirl73: Yeah, I know. I should do a lot more chapters about the main characters on classes or dealing with the colleagues (and the teachers) T.T I will work on that.

Yellow14: I like the idea that the three girls are clueless together. Even if Hermione can't tell them _everything_, they will help her out in what Tom and Abraxas can't, and also Hermione will help them out in return. They are friends, nevertheless… And typos: I spell check a lot, but I'm not a native speaker and I don't take English classes… So feel free to point them out.

Ladyyuuki16: I'm not a lazy updater, luckily. And thank you.


	16. Chapter 15: Devilish Angel

Abraxas rested his forehead at the breakfast table. He passed the whole night trying new spells based on what Dippet gave to him, but no luck. Besides, he slept only two hours that night. He was tired, and drained mentally. Still, he was planning to go to classes. Maybe a nap wouldn't do any harm…

"Are you taking a nap at the breakfast table or…", he heard Orion's voice ask. "Man, did you drink last night? Should've called me."

"You don't drink.", Abraxas observed, sitting straight. "Nor do I… It's only the joys of being the Head Boy. What brings you here…?"

"Nothing much.", Orion shrugged, serving himself of tea. "Just slightly curious about something… And I'm snatching the breakfast of your house, too."

"I noticed.", Abraxas said, pouring himself a mug of coffee, to see if he could go through the day without sleeping mid classes. Skip classes was out of question, of course. But sleeping in the middle of them… He wasn't sure about that. Orion hesitated a lot before asking.

"Is Hermione in love with someone?", he asked quickly, like he was ashamed. Abraxas smiled and poked him in the ribs.

"Hermione, uh?", Abraxas said, mocking Orion. It wasn't unexpected, really. "I knew it, my dear friend. But I'm afraid I can't help you. You know I don't have exactly… Abilities on that matter." , he added. "But you can ask your sister, though. She's a close friend of Hermione. I bet she knows something."

Orion glared at the Gryffindor table. "You know we aren't in speaking terms…", he sighed, now looking at his tea. "But what was supposed to do…? I couldn't just…"

"I know.", Abraxas cut him. "I would've done the same."

OoOoO

"Why is your brother looking at us?", Eileen asked to Luc. "From the Ravenclaw table?"

It was the first time someone ever mentioned Orion. Hermione herself didn't say a thing about knowing him, at least not so far… She knew she didn't think of him like she thought, say, of Tom. But at the same time, she didn't want to think of him more than a friend. No, not with the chance of going back home, where she had Ron. They were far away from finishing what Dippet have started, of course. Dippet was older than two hundred years old, he knew much more than the three together.

"Is he?", Hermione said, and regretted immediately when she turned around to see if what Eileen noticed was true. It was. Orion was talking to Abraxas as well.

"You know him?", Luc asked. "You didn't say anything.", and she sounded a little hurt. But luckily enough, Tom himself went to rescue Hermione. Or not so much.

"Good morning, everyone.", he said and sat at Hermione's side. "Feeling well?", he asked only to her and Hermione noticed Luc clenched her fist. Hermione didn't open her mouth to say anything. Poor Tom wasn't aware of Luc's feeling for him. He was a nice young man, indeed, and handsome as well, but some girls would classify him as unapproachable. He was the perfect prefect around most people: always polite and kind, yet distant. So perfect he could be an angel… Or perhaps, Hermione added mentally, a devil, like he was on her world. He was different around Abraxas and Hermione, two people he learned to care a lot for.

"Do you want some coffee?", he asked. "I can pour it for you.", he offered, unaware of what was going on at the table.

Luc stood up. "I'm full.", she said, there was venom on her voice, and she left.

Eileen merely took another bite in her toast. "Ignatius, you should go talk to her…", she observed. "She must be mad."

Ignatius took a deep breath and left two minutes later. He was as hurt as Luc… But yet he knocked softly at the girls' dorm in the Gryffindor Tower. "Luc…? Can we speak?"

"No!", she said weakly, crying to her pillow. "I don't want to talk to anyone."

"But Luc, you are crying.", Ignatius insisted, sitting at the edge of her bed. "And… I know you have feelings for Tom.", he said, much to his dislike. "But I don't think Hermione would do that to you. She's a good friend."

"Tom likes her!", Luc sniffed. "I have been in love with him for all this time and Hermione gets here, spends one month and a couple of weeks and he falls in love with her. Why he didn't choose me?"

"He's stupid.", Ignatius said. "That's why. You are amazing, Luc.", he added. He could understand Luc, yes… He knew that it hurt.

"You think so?", she asked, sitting again and sobbing a bit."Do you think I'm amazing?"

Ignatius nodded and pulled Luc to a hug and let her sob and cry for a couple of minutes more, soothing her. "Duh.", he replied with a smile. "Isn't that obvious?"

Luc let go of the hug and looked into his eyes. Her face was swollen and her eyes were red, but she was still beautiful. And for the first time, she saw how ungrateful she was, and understood what Eileen was talking about. Tom would never hold her and say she was amazing, or make her laugh. Luc realized she spent way too much time in the clouds, dreaming, when she already had what she always wanted. She snuggled close to Ignatius again. "You are amazing too.", she said, her sobs subsiding. "Thank you…"

When she stopped crying for good, she went to the bathroom to fix her face, and when she got back to her dorms she stopped to stare at Ignatius. "What?", he asked, blushing furiously. "Is there something in my face?"

"No.", she laughed. "Your face is fine. We should go to class…"

"Yes, we should.", Ignatius said, standing up and he was going to leave, when he felt the touch on his hand. He turned to ask Luc what she was doing, but then it was pretty clear what she was doing, when their lips touched for the first time. And for the second, and the third. "I would get an O in this class.", Ignatius spoke, breaking the kisses.

"Guess what?", Luc asked. "You got an O. But we should… Really go to classes now."

Meanwhile, at the breakfast table, the three were eating in an awkward silence. Hermione felt extremely guilty, because she was only Tom's friend, and nothing more than that. Besides, her ambiguous feelings towards Orion didn't make her feel any better. It was pretty obvious something had happened with Luc and Orion but she wasn't close to finding out. She barely knew Orion and Luc… Well. She wasn't going to tell anything, at least not in a close future.

"So, Hermione, do you know Luc's brother?", Eileen asked, her voice betraying no emotions.

"Yes. Abraxas, the Head Boy, introduced me to him.", Hermione mumbled.

Eileen merely snorted. "Ugh. How the Head Boy talks with a person like that…? I wonder if he knows."

"Knows what?", Hermione asked, frowning deeply. "What happened?"

"That's up to Luc tell you.", Eileen replied. "It's her family after all."

P.S.: Dear God, what Orion did…? Yep, cliffhangers… Also notice the angel isn't Tom.

C8ecat: If you think enough, you will find out… It's not _that _hard. By the way, I'm scared, so here's a chapter where nothing happens.

Yellow14: Thanks for pointing the mistake out and I always hated those fanfics when you can tell what's going to happen when you read the summary… Or worst, when you read the title. They are really… Surprising.

Obssessivegirl73: I suck at logic puzzles but I often spoil the stories I read because I find out things too soon. It really sucks. Also it's nice because it really helps when I'm writing… You can see that my clues aren't exactly helpful.


	17. Chapter 16: The Ancient House of Black

Luc stormed in the DADA class with a big smile on her face, letting Hermione extremely confused. "I told Ignatius should talk to her, didn't I?", Eileen said. "Look, he's red as a tomato. Matches his hair.", and then Hermione didn't have to think much more to guess what happened…

"Do you think they…", Hermione started. "Do you think they _kissed_?"

Unfortunately, they were later than usual, so they had to sit far from Hermione and Eileen, but either way it was pretty obvious. "No.", Eileen replied. "I am hundred per cent sure.", she snorted. "I just don't want two love birds in a tongue fight behind me every class."

Hermione couldn't hold a giggle. "Tongue fight?", she said. "That's what you think a kiss is…?"

"Uh…", Eileen apparently stopped to think. "Not to mention the saliva swap and the germs, of course… That's pretty romantic, if you ask my humble opinion."

"Then you never kissed?", Hermione asked. She knew she probably wasn't going to get any answers from Eileen. It was the closest thing Hermione ever find of milking a rock. Hermione almost begged for her to tell what the hell Orion did but Hermione still had no answers. So Hermione dropped the matter, at least for now… Her hopes of finding out what happened increased when Luc appeared with a smile and a blushing Ignatius.

"You mean I never got into a tongue fight?", Eileen replied with a smirk. "Never."

"But why?", Hermione insisted.

"Silence!", a voice said from the door. Dumbledore just arrived. "Open your books to page one hundred and twenty seven and read the first paragraphs. No parallel small talk."

"You heard the man.", Eileen whispered.

When the class was finally over, Luc came to talk to her friends, still smiling and quite excited. "You can't believe what happened!", she squeaked. "I kissed him! And, oh, Mione, I'm sorry for acting like that.", she shrugged. "I know it's not your fault that Tom likes you and… Well."

"But Tom doesn't like me, Luc.", Hermione replied. "We are friends. He and Abraxas were the first two I met here at Hogwarts because Dippet introduced me to them… And you know that I didn't know anyone here and now they are my friends, just like you two. And I… I met your brother.", she added quickly.

"My… Brother.", Luc said, reluctantly. And hesitated for a few seconds, looking for words, perhaps. "You don't want to be around him."

Hermione frowned a bit. From what she knew from the Black family in her world, they weren't exactly a role model of what families should be… But the upside down Blacks started to look a lot like the original Blacks. Luc rarely spoke about her parents and her family, but Hermione could see she was muggleborn or half blood, since she had some muggle habits. Made sense so far, but Hermione wasn't expecting that the family relations would be as bad as the ones from the normal Blacks.

"What happened between you two?", Hermione asked.

"You better ask what's wrong with him.", Eileen observed. "Listen, it's a long story… Do you really want to know it?" Hermione nodded in response.

"I'll tell you tonight.", Luc replied. "At our dorms."

OoOoO

"It's a _really_ long story…", Luc started. "Both of my parents are muggles… But I can be considered a half blood, because in my family there are many wizards and witches, and in the beginning, it was a pureblood family that couldn't produce magical healthy heirs. The solution they found was marrying with muggles, and since then the magical blood sometimes jumps a generation or so… Anyway, I have some relatives that have magical blood as well, some of them I don't even know. It's a big family."

Hermione paid attention into every word. So, indeed, The Blacks were still an ancient family, with magical blood too, but not purebloods… It was a key to discover more about the new universe, and Hermione was craving for that opportunity. And, of course, the dorms were empty if it weren't for the girls. Everyone was still at the common room, it was too early to sleep.

"We have this… Relative, she's not exactly a cousin.", Luc explained. "Dorea. She's three years older than I, and since she was, too, a witch, my parents and hers were close. Orion showed his first signs of magic really early… And Dorea was closer to him than I was… Am, since I only knew I was going to Hogwarts when I received my letter.", she continued and Hermione noticed a hint of bitterness. "From what I know, in her time here, she met a guy… Charlus Potter, a pureblood. And you know what happens when a girl met a guy, right?", Luc asked. "Potter was a bastard. Until now he still is a Grindelwald supporter. But Dorea wanted to marry him. Her parents forbid her from doing it. But Potter, a year older, had an idea."

"Apparently, he was reading too much romantic stories back then.", Eileen snidely remarked. "And she was… I mean, she is stupid."

"Dorea was in our house for the summer, because her parents were travelling and she said she didn't want to go with them. But I know why she wanted to spend her summer with us.", Luc continued. "Her parents disapproved her feelings for Potter, of course, he was dangerous… He let very clear he would follow Grindelwald when he left Hogwarts. And he wanted Dorea to go with him, but her parents wouldn't let her. So she went to spend the summer in our house, where her parents thought she would be safe, especially because they took her wand away, with them. She didn't think her parents would take her wand away…"

"But Orion had a wand.", Luc added. "And he gave his to Dorea. She contacted Potter somehow, without leaving the house, and he came to pick her up, at night, when anyone was listening. Orion lied; he said he didn't know anything and that Dorea shared nothing with him. Orion was friends with Potter, of course.", Luc snorted. "Because he knew the plan… And he let Dorea call the bastard to our house. I have no doubts he will follow Dorea's steps and run away to follow Grindelwald. He knows I know what he did, of course. I haven't spoke to him ever since."

Hermione's jaw was on the floor. "I didn't know about that…"

"Of course you didn't.", Eileen said.

"I only told to Eileen.", Luc spoke. "In the day we became friends."

Eileen shrugged. "I didn't like Luc very much in the first years, but since we shared dorms, I couldn't avoid noticing she looked sick. I just asked what happened."

P.S.: That awkward moment when every Black family, doesn't matter in which universe, is messed up.

Yellow14: Yep… Let's see what Hermione will think now. *evil laugh*

C8ecat: Of course it's not annoying. It's awesome, because Abraxas was the first character I thought about… Also the one I took more time to "shape", until the crazy yet wise boy who has a thing for sleep in tables/desks. It's good to see that people like your stuff. And I haven't watched Buffy. Yet.

Obsessivegirl73: Poor Tom… And now you can see where I put the two characters you gave me. It kinds of get in the way of the romance, but makes the story more interesting. I think.


	18. Chapter 17: For the greater good

Hermione couldn't believe it. Orion wouldn't do a thing like that, would he? She was aware she didn't know Orion very well, but now she accepted the fact she knew nothing about him. Hermione also wondered if Abraxas was aware of what he did or not. It was like a punch on her face, to be more precise. In the next day, Hermione couldn't help but get up extra early, when everyone was still sleeping. It was useless to try to rest a little more, since her mind was unable to stop for a second. There was still so much of this world that Hermione still didn't know…

Apparently Tom had the same idea. "You should be sleeping.", he observed when Hermione was climbing downstairs. He was reading in front of the fireplace.

"I can't.", Hermione replied.

"Me too.", Tom agreed. "I'm worried, and besides, still no results in the spells Dippet was experimenting.", he continued. "But soon you will be back at your world and your time, I promise."

"I won't come back until we find out what Dumbledore is up to, Tom.", Hermione informed.

"But it can be dangerous for you to stay.", Tom said calmly. "It's not wise."

"In my world I'm in danger too.", Hermione argued. "Besides, I won't live with the guilt of leaving you and Abraxas alone to fight Dumbledore. No, that's out of question... But I don't understand what we are waiting for."

"A chance.", Tom replied, flipping another page. "Gryffindors are known for their bravery and courage, but that can't be mistaken with foolishness. We could kill the basilisk? Certainly. But wouldn't change anything… I'm waiting for the chance to do something that will, effectively, change things for better."

"And when it will happen?", she asked with concern.

"Not sure. I'm hoping it won't take too long.", Tom sighed. "But it will come and I'm ready to do whatever it's necessary."

Dippet was eating at the Staff table when Tom arrived at the Great Hall with Hermione, who sighed in extreme relief. "I told you he was going to be fine, Hermione.", he said. "Madam Pince is a great healer."

"Yes, but I wasn't expect that he would be on his feet so quick.", she replied. "He even seems younger."

Tom shrugged. Dippet's health, or lack thereof, wouldn't be the reason of his death, Tom was sure of it. Rather, Tom would worry with Dippet if Dumbledore had his hands around Dippet's neck, and so far, Dumbledore was behaving very well. Even the basilisk wasn't attacking anyone these days. Everything was well, at least so far. Immersed in his thoughts, he didn't see Hermione frowning when she spotted Orion at the Hufflepuff table eating cereal. He only felt when Hermione grabbed his arm to pull him towards the Gryffindor table. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Tom.", Hermione spoke dismissively. "Everything is just fine." No, everything was not fine, but she wasn't going to tell Tom about it, of course. Hermione ate her breakfast in silence, and tried not to look into Orion's general direction again, and she mumbled an excuse to not wait for Tom to go back to her tower and grab her material.

Hermione didn't exactly need to tell Tom anything for the boy to notice something really wrong was happening with her. But he didn't ask anything when she left early and continued his meal. But later that day, he had no option but to ask what was going on with Hermione.

"Tom, let's go to the library.", she said suddenly and coming out of nowhere after the last classes. "Now."

"Not unless you tell me what is wrong with you.", Tom retorted. "Really. What's happening?"

"I already said it's nothing!", Hermione almost snapped and looked over her shoulder.

Tom did the same and saw Orion, who was walking towards their direction. "You could go with Orion.", he suggested. "I'm working with Abraxas in you-know-what."

"Then take me with you.", she whispered. Too late, though. She already felt someone tickle her sides and give her a kiss on her cheek.

"I didn't talk to you guys today.", Orion spoke with a grin. "I saw you at breakfast, but then you disappeared.", he said to Hermione.

"You know what, Orion? Hermione wanted to go to the library, and I am busy, perhaps you could go with her to mak-", Tom started.

"No.", Hermione cut him. "I'm going with you, remember…?", she asked, and it sounded like a threaten. Tom raised his eyebrows slightly. Hermione was praying that he could understand the clue and that he wasn't as daft as Ron or Harry. Because Hermione didn't want to see Orion and certainly wasn't keen of being alone with him. Not at the slightest, even though she still couldn't absorb what Luc told her the day before. It didn't sound like Orion, but… Luc wasn't lying, Hermione was sure of it. The only thing Hermione could think of was avoid Orion at any cost.

"I thought you didn't want to.", Tom observed, reluctant, not quite understanding what was Hermione's master plan. "But you can come if is that your wish.", he added, when Hermione sent him a deadly glare.

Hermione jumped to Tom's side and said: "I want to go with you, let's go."

"In this case we are going, Orion.", Tom spoke before turning on his heels to continue his way. Hermione was walking awkwardly close to him, and when they turned left to another hallway she took some distance and acted like nothing happened. "You didn't want to go to the library with Orion that badly?", he asked. "He was the one who find you that day, I thought you liked him."

"I don't.", Hermione retorted. "You are terribly mistaken."

OoOoO

Abraxas was nearly desperate when Tom knocked on his door. "I've tried everything.", he said. "And we didn't have any results."

"Dippet isn't ill anymore, we could ask him to give us another clue.", Tom suggested. "But we should try a little more."

A little more turned into six hours of trying new variations of the spells in Dippet's parchment on a mug and Hermione was snoring lightly using Abraxas' lap as a pillow when he finally decided it was time to wake her up and send her to her dorm. Besides, it was almost time for the boys to leave and start their patrols and then they could talk to the Headmaster, who had the habit of sleeping really late. "Hermione, wake up.", Abraxas said, shaking her slightly. "You have to go to your dorm."

"What?", she mumbled, waking up and rubbing her eyes. "How much I slept?"

"About half an hour.", Tom replied. "We will take you to your dorms then we will talk to Dippet, see if he has more information to give us."

"I'm going with you.", Hermione decided, yawning. "Perhaps I can help."

"Do we have a choice?", Abraxas sneered and stood up.

"No.", Hermione replied with her best bossy tone.

Hermione didn't know, but it was the best decision she made that day, because when they finally got into the Headmaster's office, the door was slightly open. Tom put his index finger on his lips, to signalize Abraxas and Hermione to stay quiet.

"This is for the greater good, Headmaster.", Dumbledore spoke, and they saw a flash of green light coming out of the room.

P.S.: Yesterday was my birthday (15 years old now, yaay), so I decided to kill a character as a gift for myself. Best gift, hands down. And I kind of started shipping Tom and Love Triangles.

Yellow14: I love the chapters where Eileen appears, she's awesome to write. Also, I translated what we say in my country: we speak milking a rock. But the meaning is the same as squeezing blood.

Obsessivegirl73: Charlus could or could not be James' father. I speculated he was, and there you go. Evil!Charlus it is. And yeah, I turned Dorea into the protagonist of a really cheesy romance, inspired loosely by Andromeda Black.

Joy Bells: Who doesn't like pudding? Well, there's more than one version for what happened... But for the sake of the plot, Hermione only knows one. And do you really think it's going to be awesome? Lol, I don't trust my writer skills _that_ much.


	19. Chapter 18: The New Headmaster

Hermione was about to give a little scream, but she didn't make a sound and her hands covered her mouth. Tom and Abraxas were equally shocked; they didn't expect that would be so out of nowhere.  
Tom snapped out of the shock state and called Abraxas and Hermione to go back to the hallway and warn someone with a wave of his hand. They climbed down the stairs of the Headmaster's office in silence, but as soon as they passed the gargoyle Hermione said weakly: "Dippet is dead."

"It… Seems so.", Abraxas replied. He stopped for a second to look at the empty hallways. "I think I heard steps.", he whispered. "Quick, we need to hide.", and he immediately cast a Disillusionment Charm in himself, to later cast one on Hermione and Tom cast one in himself as well. Without make any noise, they tiptoed to a far corner, but close enough to see who was coming. It was McGonagall with a redhead man.

"Do you really think Dumbledore's plan will work?", he asked. "Grindelwald is becoming too soft-hearted, but I don't think he will be clement if almost all of his followers turn the back on him."

"Of course it will work, Weasley. How dare you question it?", McGonagall retorted in response. "By this time, Dippet is already dead.", she continued in a calmer tone.

"Dippet is not the one worrying me.", the Weasley man snorted.

Killing Dippet wasn't the whole plan, then. Hermione, once again, just stopped to think how crazy her situation was. The man was Ron's grandfather, probably, and he was scheming along with McGonagall and Dumbledore to Merlin knows what, while Hermione was listening to their conversation carefully with Draco's grandfather and Lord Voldemort in his earlier years. With Dippet dead, she wasn't sure if she could ever get back to her world, but if she did, she had no idea how to tell anyone about what happened.

McGonagall and Weasley were out of sight, they climbed up the staircase for the Headmaster's office. Hermione realized she had been holding her breath.

"What do we do now?", she asked to the two boys with a whisper.

"Not a clue.", Abraxas replied, tapping his fingers on his lips. "But I think they don't know we are out of bed and we heard quite a lot about their plans… I say we need to know more."

"Dippet wasn't the final target.", Tom spoke, with a cease between his eyebrows. "I agree with Abraxas. It's something bigger."

"What could be possibly bigger than killing the Headmaster and putting Hogwarts under control of Grindelwald?", Hermione asked again.

"Exploding the entire castle, perhaps.", Abraxas shrugged. "We need to find out what's happening. If Weasley isn't alone, the students and the staff are in danger."

"Good.", Tom smiled and turned on his heels. "Let's ask someone then."

"We should.", Abraxas agreed. "I bet my wand that there's a tea party of enemies in this castle."

Hermione wasn't very fond of the plan to be honest, but they couldn't be at the same place the whole night, and besides, if Weasley was there then it must be others too, like Abraxas said. She felt like she had no choice, and as long as they weren't caught, they could do something. What, exactly, she didn't know yet. For a girl known for her cleverness, Hermione was already used to not knowing what to do next, and having her life depending on it, quite often. So she followed the boys.

"But we should put Hermione somewhere safe.", Abraxas continued.

"I am not a child.", Hermione retorted. "I will go with you."

"You can die, and if you die, it will be my fault.", the Head Boy replied. "I rather live without the guilt, Hermione."

"If she wants to come, let her, Abraxas.", Tom interrupted. "It's not your fault if she's stubborn as a rock."

"I'm not stubborn!", Hermione retorted again. "I have been waiting for a very long time to actually do something, and now Dippet is dead, and Hogwarts is under the control of a bastard and I won't cross my arms and wait for other people to move a muscle!"

"Fine, fine, I just don't want you to die, you know, or you can't go home.", Abraxas raised his arms in surrender. "But try to be less loud or else we will be heard."

Hermione snorted and went in the front. "But try to be less loud.", she mimicked Abraxas in a sarcastic manner. She had to recognize she was being out of character that day but it wasn't a normal day. See a Headmaster get killed in front of her without doing anything wasn't something that happened every day. And certainly someone suggesting keeping her somewhere safe was another thing that didn't happen very much. But Hermione knew she was in great danger. And this time was different. Dumbledore and Voldemort certainly had different approaches when it comes down to taking control of Hogwarts.

Suddenly, they heard steps and hide inside an empty classroom, with a little gap open to see who was passing. A lanky man with glasses passed. Abraxas left the classroom and closed the door, but still left the gap. Hermione was about to ask if Abraxas was crazy. But he was not.

"Charlus, fancy meeting you here.", Abraxas greeted the man.

"A girl and the Gryffindor prefect are missing.", Charlus replied. "Where are they?"

Abraxas shrugged. "I don't know. Why do you want to find them?"

"The new Headmaster asks that all the students to go to the Great Hall to pay the last condolences for the deceased Headmaster.", Charlus said.

"Asks, eh?", Abraxas replied. "Thank you, but no.", and he swiftly aimed his wand at Charlus. "Expelliarmus!"

Charlus bumped strongly in the wall behind him, and he fell unconscious on the floor, and his wand rolled from his hand and stopped a few inches from him. "Mobilicorpus.", Abraxas muttered and brought Charlus to the classroom Hermione and Tom were waiting. Their knuckles were white from grasping their wands tightly, and even if Charlus was knocked down, they didn't relax.

"You got him.", Hermione observed.

Abraxas sit the man on a chair and Tom conjured ropes to tie him. "Enervate.", Tom said and the man was conscious again.

"What Dumbledore is up to?", Hermione asked right away, aiming her wand at the man. He did remind her of Harry, but that fact wasn't going to make Hermione hesitate. "Answer me, now.", she hissed when he didn't reply.

"He didn't tell anything to us, or to me, at least.", Charlus spat. "And I wouldn't be here if it weren't for my wife!"

Hermione frowned. "What's wrong with her?"

"You better ask what's right.", he sneered. "Two relatives of hers are here tonight. We would be in a cottage in the middle of a forest in Ireland right now if she didn't want to warn them in advance and get them out of here. Dumbledore is taking every student as a hostage, girl, and he won't think twice before spilling blood."

"How many of you are here?", Abraxas asked, studying Charlus with a slight frown. "It's only you, Weasley and McGonagall or there's more?"

"Much more.", Charlus replied. "Hogwarts is his."

P.S.: I may or may not have based the plot loosely on Counter Strike. Hint: I did.

Yellow14: Thank you! And Dumbles is up to the evil… I think your questions will be answered next chapter, if I am correct. The other story is basically me rewriting all HP books out of boredom and deciding I like to write. The beginning is awful with _really_ nasty typos and grammar mistakes. Jump the first fifteen chapters or so to spare your brain cells. I recall I wrote waked up instead of woke up one time. It's getting better, though.

Joy Bells: No problems in leaving criticism. I definitely want to be a writer when I grow up (lol) and the only way I can be a good writer in the future is if I receive criticism and feedback on what I write now. That's why I'm publishing, so no worries. As long it is not "die in the pits of hell, spawn of Satan" I'm okay with it :)

Rosey Mulvey: Lol, Lily is that old? And Happy Birthday!

Obsessivegirl73: Man, guys are the worst for getting hints *snort* Anyway, thank you very much and this story doesn't have much of Dumbledore, but that will change.

C8ecat: Very dead. And about Orion… I have a card up in my sleeve.

Laurena1234: Thank you, and of course I had. I just killed my first character, yaaay.

Lay Elizabeth of New York: I'm glad you like my story so much. I really hope I don't disappoint you later on.


	20. Chapter 19: Let's kill the basilisk

The situation was way worst than Hermione thought. She fully expected that Dumbledore was going to try to kill the Headmaster – and he did it – but not that he would take the students as hostages to get whatever he wanted to get. And what that could be, Hermione wondered. "We are going to the Great Hall", she announced. "He wants something. We have to find out what it is."

"And what do we do to him?", Abraxas asked pointing Charlus.

"Let him here.", Tom shrugged. "His wife is going to miss him at some point and eventually she will find him. And I wish good luck in finding his wand.", he added. "Let's go."

They left the room and Tom picked up Charlus' wand which was still on the floor. "Nice. I've always wanted a spare wand.", he said with a smile, and put his wand in his pocket, very well hidden. He had something in mind, of course… Soon, they were approached by two other persons. Hagrid and Longbottom.

"Malfoy!", Longbottom snarled. "Where were you all this time?"

"Going to the Great Hall of course.", Abraxas replied calmly. "And what you are doing here?", and he hid his wand at his back, quite awfully, though. Hermione saw he was going to knock up them too and she couldn't hold back a smirk.

"What you are smiling at?", Hagrid asked with narrowed eyes to Hermione. "Dumbledore's new staff will take your wand away as soon as you get there."

"Nice, nice…", Tom said. And with a wave of his wand, Hagrid's eyes went aloof. "You want to fight Longbottom and give Abraxas her wand. Afterwards, you will give your wand to Hermione."

"Y-yes.", Hagrid agreed and Longbottom took two steps back. To Hermione's amusement they actually started to fight, but Longbottom, two years older, was considerably better than Hagrid, and she was clearly winning.

Abraxas rolled his eyes. "We don't have time to lose.", he spoke. "Incarcerous.", he muttered, and the tip of his wand released two ropes, which flew in Longbottom's direction to tie her up. Struggling to defend herself from Hagrid, Augusta couldn't keep the ropes away and fell on the floor with her legs and her hands tied up, making pig-like noises. Hagrid took her wand away and gave it to Abraxas, and after, give his own wand to Hermione. Tom waved his wand again.

"Now you want to bang your head in the wall until the sun rises.", he said smoothly and turned on his heels to continued his way to the Great Hall. "Did you hear what he said?", he asked after they were far away enough to not be heard. "They are taking the students' wands. Hide yours and keep theirs. And act naturally, they were after us."

"I was about to hex Longbottom.", Abraxas pouted ironically. "You just ruined the best day of my life."

It didn't take much longer for them to finally get at the Great Hall. The way they used to get in was a door guarded by McGonagall and Weasley. McGonagall gave a hideous smile. "Wands, please. Dumbledore gave orders to not hurt the students… But he will certainly think again if you do anything funny, Malfoy, Riddle and… Granger."

Abraxas gave Longbottom's wand, while his own was hidden in his pocket, like Tom did. "There you are, McGoogles.", he said. McGonagall, in a fit of anger, snapped the wand on her knee. "No, my wand!", Abraxas said in a shocked manner, but Hermione knew he was pretty much making fun of McGonagall's face. Tom gave Charlus' wand without a word and so Hermione gave Hagrid's wand to Weasley and didn't dare to even make eye contact.

"Did you really need to do that?", Hermione whispered to Abraxas, and then she saw the Great Hall. All the doors and way outs were guarded by unknown wizards or even students, those who decided, by loyalty or by self preservation, to support Dumbledore. The students in the middle of the room were the ones who wouldn't bow to Dumbledore, and Hermione instantly spotted Eileen's black hair and Luc's brown hair. And more at the left, Orion's curls, all of them sitting at the normal tables, but the house division didn't exist anymore. Dumbledore was sitting at the Headmaster's chair, in silence.

"We have to keep together.", Abraxas whispered back to Hermione without answering her question. "Orion is still here.", he noticed. "Let's go talk to him."

"What is he doing here?", Hermione asked. "I thought he was gone with Dorea."

"Wait a second.", Abraxas cut Hermione. "You know about Dorea?"

"That's not important right now.", Hermione replied dismissively. "Let's sit."

They sat at what would be the original Slytherin table. Tom was already impatient by then. "What is Dumbledore waiting for?", he asked, with shaky legs. "Dippet's body is not even here."

"We already came here.", Abraxas said in response. "Then we must wait to whatever that git is up to."

Suddenly, the wooden doors of the Great Hall, those that the first years students have to go through to go to the Sorting Ceremony, opened with a blow. A man, possibly as old as Dumbledore, a little younger perhaps, with curls until his shoulder, was standing at the door. "Albus, what you have done?", he asked.

The students sitting in the tables gasped. Hermione knew it was Grindelwald. He was in his sixties, like Dumbledore, and he had an arrogant posture, his chin held up high.

"This is all for the greater good, Gellert.", Dumbledore replied, standing up. "Only the pure shall survive!"

"Magical blood is magical blood.", Grindelwald said calmly, taking slow steps towards Dumbledore. "We've talked about this."

"I'm only claiming what it's mine.", Dumbledore spoke loudly so everyone could hear his voice. "I, the Slytherin Heir, descendant of Salazar, the big of the four founders of Hogwarts."

"You are a son of a squib and a raped woman.", Grindelwald said still calmly. But Dumbledore was definitely angry and Grindelwald only protected himself from the Killing Curse Dumbledore tried to cast on him. "I am the only one who cared for you, and you betray me! Hogwarts it's not important!"

"Fight back, Gellert, or else they will suffer.", Dumbledore hissed and aimed his wand at the closest girl. "Avada Kedrava!", and she was hit by a green light. She fell flat on the table, lifeless, and a couple of girls at her side started to cry.

Abraxas gasped. "That's Olivia Hornby! She was a Ravenclaw!", he muttered in shock. Tom swallowed hard.

"Is my wand that you want?", Grindelwald asked. "I could give you. No life should be wasted… I know you have been plotting behind my back, stealing my followers all this time, one by one. But all of this… Just for a wand? We were partners, Albus! I didn't care about the wand."

Dumbledore once more tried to hit Grindelwald with a Killing Curse, without success. And, again, he aimed his wand at the closest student. But a long hiss filled the room. Hermione looked at Tom and he was with his wand on his neck, amplifying his voice. He was speaking in parseltongue. Dumbledore froze, looking for the one who had done it, and luckily Tom was partially hidden.

"What did you say?", Abraxas asked in a whisper.

"I said I was going to kill the basilisk.", Tom whispered back.

"And we are going to?", Hermione muttered so low that no one could hear or see that she was muttering.

"Yes.", Tom replied. "You know where the Chamber is, I suppose.", and he stood up to hex the nearest Dumbledore follower and start a mess.

P.S.: Tom likes adrenaline… And Grindelwald is sort of soft-hearted. Also, I made a little slip last chapter. I forgot to uncast the Disillusionment Charm T.T

Yellow14: My other story is like my first child that was unplanned. I had no idea what to do in the beginning and I made it just for fun, but now it's my pet project. Especially because I had to read the books with new eyes, really understand the characters and stuff. And Dumbledore plots a lot of things, but you got it right in the spot. If his plans are going to work… Well, let's see. Tom is definitely bold.

Obsessivegirl73: I based Charlus on Lucius Malfoy. Even though Lucius is a git, I'm sure he would go through hell for Narcissa and Draco… And yep, the Weasley bloke is Septimus.

C8ecat: Abraxas can be a bit pessimist. However, Tom is making up for his initial pessimism… Now the thing is going to explode.


	21. Chapter 20: Revenge of Dumbledore

Tom, since the talk with Charlus, was thinking of something in the back of his mind. It was just a faint idea he had earlier… But, when he made to the Great Hall, and saw the real situation the students were on, he had to think fast. And so he did, but he forgot a simple little detail, that in the end would make all the difference. He thought about setting up a trap for Dumbledore, creating a battle in the Great Hall so none of his army would be free to go with Dumbledore, and Tom wasn't a bit concerned with Grindelwald. He had no followers in the castle that night, and therefore, he almost had no powers, even though Tom certainly would like having a "little talk" with him for what Grindelwald did before – killed his parents. But that wasn't important, not now.

Indeed, at the beginning, the plan worked out just as he thought. When the first enemy was hexed, some students retrieved their wands, and started to fight back, and more students could retrieve their wands, and soon all the students were fighting back, even the younger ones. Dumbledore's Army was in a smaller number, and didn't have the permission to kill – only Dumbledore could do that, or so Tom guessed – so no one was going to get hurt, if Dumbledore left the Great Hall… But Tom didn't have much time to think in the details, so he definitely missed out one little point… Right after Hermione, much to her dislike, told Tom where the Chamber was, he immediately left, alone. He discretely muttered to Abraxas and Hermione follow Dumbledore when he left the Great Hall before going, and he pretty much vanished in thin air.

"I'm going to kill the bastard if we survive this – and I don't think we will." Abraxas said, or rather, shouted to Hermione. It wasn't a good time to talk, definitely… Abraxas was dueling with a rather powerful wizard along with Hermione while keeping an eye in Dumbledore. He knew something Tom didn't think of while making up his brilliant plan. The Elder Wand, the most powerful wand in the world that initially belonged to the older of the Peverell brothers. At first, Abraxas thought it was just a story to make children sleep and don't walk alone in the forest… But when he came to Hogwarts, he discovered that perhaps such wand had existed, under many names, and leaving a trail of blood behind it. And it did exist. And it was in Hogwarts tonight, in the hand of the greatest Dark Wizard alive, Grindelwald. And unlike Tom thought, Dumbledore wasn't going to leave to the Chamber any time soon.

Because not only one battle was happening in the Great Hall that day. While the students fought bravely the Dumbledore's Army, Dumbledore himself was fighting his own battle. Because for a long time now, he had desired something, that would make his great powers even greater… Something he and Grindelwald searched for a long time. But the wand was only one, and they were two. And Grindelwald find it first. For years and decades, Dumbledore had accepted it, because they were partners after all, aiming the same objective, for quite some time. However, Dumbledore wanted more. He wasn't going to be in second place, and Grindelwald's ideas of greater good started to diverge from Dumbledore's… Their partnership started to fell apart. And for months, Dumbledore waited and waited. Getting his own followers slowly, luring people to betray Grindelwald, while being at Hogwarts like a mediocre professor.

And then, Dumbledore was fighting Grindelwald. It wasn't a matter of having the wand on his hands, no… It was a matter of gaining the wand's loyalty. He had to deserve it; he had to defeat Grindelwald, who was barely fighting back. "Fight back!" Dumbledore screamed between a spell and another.

"I won't hurt you, Albus." Grindelwald said calmly, only dodging and protecting himself from the hexes. "You know I won't."

Even though Dumbledore's powers were indeed great, Grindelwald had the elder wand after all, and nothing Dumbledore did could hit him. But then… Dumbledore aimed his wand to the high ceiling of the Great Hall. Grindelwald looked up, probably expecting something would fall on him, and Dumbledore finally caught Grindelwald out of guard. With a simple Expelliarmus, Grindelwald was wand less, and at Dumbledore's mercy. Aiming his original wand to Grindelwald's heart, Dumbledore said: "You were a great friend, Gellert, and for that, I will spare your life…"

Soon, Grindelwald was taken to Nurmengard by three wizards, and the elder wand was finally Dumbledore's.

OoOoO

Tom was waiting patiently at the Chamber. It was exactly like Tom had expected it to be. A cold, badly illuminated chamber, decorated with snakes statues. But Dumbledore wasn't coming. Tom waited and waited, and started to get nervous. And then he heard steps.

"Tom… Riddle." Dumbledore said in the end of the Chamber, and approaching Tom. "What a pretentious foolish boy you are…"

"Am I?" Tom retorted, waiting that any minute now Hermione and Abraxas would appear.

"Indeed." Dumbledore replied. "You don't understand. Basilisk or not, Hogwarts is mine."

"That wasn't what I saw in the Great Hall." Tom said, trying to gain some time.

"You are a fool! Hogwarts is under my control now. All the wands… Snapped. All the students… Defeated." Dumbledore spoke, now face to face to Tom. "I have the elder wand, the wand of the wands… And Grindelwald is gone. You lost."

Tom tried to sound calm… But he never heard of the elder wand, and he was pretty sure Dumbledore wasn't bluffing when he told that all the students were defeated. "I beg to differ."

"You are thicker than I thought you were. It's over, Tom, and there's nothing you can do to change it." Dumbledore continued. "You can surrender to me now and live, or you can fight and die."

"Then I will die" Tom replied.

P.S.: No comments on this chapter, or else I will say too much *evil laugh* But I just noticed how English is different from Portuguese. English is easy to learn and extremely hard to write and Portuguese is awful to learn and a piece of cake to write. Just for you to know, this very chapter has 2500+ words in Portuguese, including a part where Eileen and the Gryffindor Quidditch team get the brooms to attack the Dumbledore's Army from the skies and the Ravenclaws launch a table towards Dumbledore. But I couldn't do it in English T.T

Obsessivegirl73: Tom has a sense of humor… But will be the girl the only one Dumbledore will kill? ~~suspense~~

Lady Elizabeth if New York: No commas, then…? Thanks for noticing and reviewing that, or else I would never know.

Yellow14: Tom is a strategist, most of all, even if he sounds a little crazy. However, not everything goes as he thinks… And as you see in this chapter, he doesn't really want to kill the basilisk, he wants to set up a trap to Dumbledore. And the wand idea was actually Tom's. I was thinking: "If I were Tom, what would I do?" and while thinking like Tom I had the idea of swapping the wands. He could have been a Slytherin, even in my world…


	22. Chapter 21: Dorea strikes back

Hermione knew everything was pretty much over when members of the Dumbledore's Army started to actually snap the wands and tie up the students by their hands. But rather than worrying with herself, she was worried with Tom. As long as she behaved well – for now – she would be alive and sane. However Tom was the first to stand up and hex the closest wizard and now he was at the Chamber, waiting for Dumbledore, who was still at the Great Hall giving instructions to some people. Hermione didn't want to think about it… But Tom could die.

Dumbledore was much more powerful than Hermione would ever think a wizard could be. He cast an immobulus in the Great Hall, and then uncasted the spell only in his allies, with a wave of his wand… Or rather, Grindelwald's wand. It wasn't a complicated spell, but to be strong enough to immobilize the entire Great Hall and skilled enough to uncast the spell in selected people with only a flick meant Dumbledore was indeed a great wizard. She still didn't know why Dumbledore had to take Grindelwald's wand, but nevertheless, the wand worked just fine for him, to the contempt of the Hogwarts' students. And immobilized the way Hermione was, the only she could do was to wait for the worst. One minute later, Dumbledore left.

Very soon it was her time to have her wand snapped. And the one who was ought to do the job was no one less than Charlus. But instead of snapping the wand, Charlus put it on his pocket and leaned forward slightly to whisper something in her ear, while tying her hands, now that she was free of the spell Dumbledore cast on the Great Hall. "You are a hell of a lucky girl. And, by the way, you are a Ravenclaw." Hermione frowned deeply and looked at Abraxas.

"Don't ask me." he said shrugging. Apparently, he heard what Charlus said.

"And what about Tom?" Hermione whispered, walking to stand closer to Abraxas. "He's in the Chamber, and Dumbledore is not here! What we are going to do?" Saying Hermione was desperate was an understatement. She was an inch from bursting into tears and completely freaking out.

Abraxas smiled. "We will find a way, of course." he spoke like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Tom does that all the time."

And then a tear rolled down Hermione's cheek. "But what if we don't…?" she inquired with her voice an octave higher than the normal.

"I would pat your back now if I haven't had my hands tied." Abraxas observed. "And there's no such possibility, Hermione." he said, now embodying his Head Boy voice.

"Ravenclaws, with me!" an unknown witch shouted and even though Hermione never saw the woman in her entire life, she was somewhat familiar. Regardless their situation as mere kettle, Abraxas had a slight grin on his face and went to follow the woman. Hermione remembered Charlus' words. _And, by the way, you are a Ravenclaw._ And so Hermione followed Abraxas, thinking if she was crazy for taking Charlus' words in consideration in times like this… And, of course, she didn't want to separate from Abraxas, the only person, aside from her, that knew where Tom was.

"Fancy meeting you here." a known voice said. Orion. "Are we having fun yet?" he asked to Abraxas.

"Oh, _we are going to die_ of laughter." Abraxas replied and Hermione was just… Confused. She didn't think about it at first… Luc said Orion was going to follow Potter's steps but he was there, wasn't he, following the messy line formed by – not only – Ravenclaws, with his hands tied up on his back? And oddly enough, Charlus and the woman were leading the line leaving the Great Hall, and something clicked in Hermione's mind. The woman was Dorea. Maybe that was the reason Orion sounded so relaxed. But thinking well, he always sounded relaxed.

And the same woman started to walk around the pack of Ravenclaws. "Wait a minute!" she shouted. "You aren't Ravenclaws! Trying to sneak out, eh?"

Hermione was terrified. "Don't you dare try to fool me again!" Dorea spoke once more, pulling Orion, Hermione and Abraxas by the arm out of the line. And a few feet behind them, Eileen, Luc and Ignatius were also pulled out of the line, Hermione was quite surprised they were there, but she didn't say anything. Dorea turned to a dead end corridor and her whole posture changed. With a wave, all hands were untied.

"You are fine?" she asked, looking for something in her pocket. The whole scene was too strange for any talking. And then Dorea finally found what she was looking for: wands. Hermione's wand was between the ones Dorea took off her pocket. "Orion, take Luc and Ignatius to our house, and Abraxas, please, take Hermione and Eileen to somewhere safe – we will find a way to communicate later."

"But Tom is the Chamber." Hermione finally spoke something. "Dumbledore is there! He's danger, and I'm not leaving without him."

"Me neither." Abraxas agreed. "We are in our account from now on, Dorea."

Eileen rolled her eyes. "Everyone is going to save Tom, right?" she said, snidely as always. "After all, what's the fun of leaving without kicking Dumbledore's butt?"

Dorea gave Orion a tight hug. "Please, be safe." she muttered. And then she hugged Luc too. "And you. I have to go, but be careful." she added and left.

"That was weird." Ignatius said. "What is going on?" he asked.

"The Blacks stick for each other." Orion replied. "That's what's going on. And we have to save someone right now, am I correct?"

"Girls' bathroom in the second floor." Hermione spoke simply, knowing that she could count on them. "Tom is there."

"Why is he in a girls' bathroom?" Ignatius asked, but followed Hermione and the rest of the group either way.

"The Chamber, remember…?" Luc rolled her eyes.

OoOoO

Luckily, the way to the second floor was empty – almost everyone was in the Great Hall, or as Hermione suspected, going to their common rooms, and gladly they were in a spot where no one would pass to go to a common room. When they got to the bathroom, there was a huge hole on the floor, were the taps originally were…

"What is this?" Luc asked.

"The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets." Hermione replied.

"I was expecting something more glamorous." Eileen confessed, and she was the first to go down. "Worst slide ride in my life!" they could hear her screaming. One by one, they slid down the pipe, praying that wasn't too late to save Tom.

P.S.: I bet you didn't see that coming. Short chapter, but the other one will be longer, I guess. Also, Dorea and Charlus definitely will show up again. And I know Orion's explanation is sloppy, but I don't think it was the place for talk – rather, Hermione will be kept in the dark of what happened between Orion/Dorea/Luc, for now. Later she (and you) will find out.

Yellow14: Yep, and I guess the last chapter shows one of the major differences of Voldemort and my Tom: Tom was counting with Abraxas and Hermione in his plan, whereas Voldemort certainly wouldn't. Abraxas and Hermione can be trusted: Hermione was trying to find a way to escape (even though she failed) and Abraxas haven't even considered the possibility of failing on Tom. And now Tom has a small army: Orion, Abraxas, Hermione, Eileen, Luc and Ignatius, so I guess the plan worked somewhat better than he was expecting.

Obsessivegirl73: Yeah… I love cliffhangers. And the story is not close to be over yet, just for you to know… Also, your review just made me imagine what would happen if the two worlds collided, I don't know why. I definitely had a great time cracking up over imagining Abraxas meeting Draco, Eileen meeting Snape and Tom meeting Dumbledore. Epic. Oh, and Orion meeting Sirius… English is far better to learn than Portuguese. You have no idea.

Ladyyuuki16: It won't be over so fast, though… But what kind of writer would I be if I didn't create any suspense?

C8ecat: I didn't think the last chapter was that dramatic because I lack vocabulary and I can't describe a battle between two great wizards(which happens in my mother language). But yeah, shit _pretty_ got real.


	23. Chapter 22: The Chamber falls

The idea that Hermione and Abraxas might have been caught too started to sink in Tom's brain after five minutes of battle. Dumbledore was more powerful than he would ever imagine, but as Tom noticed, the Chamber wasn't a part of the pluming – it was a cave, and its ceiling seemed to be really fragile… It released dust at every curse or hex from both Tom and Dumbledore, as if it was shaking. Tom thought he might use that to his advantage, but Dumbledore was the one closer to the exit. Of course Tom wasn't going to do something that would sign his death certificate, even though he was sure he was going to die any moment now. A little slip, just a little distraction, and he would be dead. Tom while thinking all this, was still thinking what was the fail on his plan. Dumbledore took longer than the expected to appear and – apparently - with Hogwarts under his control again, and no mention of Grindelwald – and Tom supposed with a glimpse of joy Dumbledore must have murdered Grindelwald. However, the joy disappeared when he remembered his name was the next on the list.

Dumbledore cast hex after hex on Tom, but like him, Dumbledore was also aware that he couldn't use all his strength. It was an advantage for Tom, an exceptionally powerful wizard for his age. However, Tom was still standing alone, and Hermione and Abraxas wouldn't come. With that thought, Tom lost his focus, and Dumbledore could cast a Body Binding Curse successfully on him.

He accepted that this was his end – and closed his eyes with the childish thought that die would hurt. But villains aren't villains if they don't give a speech first.

"And you thought you could defeat me." Dumbledore pointed out. "A boy, defeat the greatest wizard alive." and Dumbledore kicked Tom's wand from his hand. "Crucio!"

Between the spasms caused by the Cruciatus Curse and the pressure applied on his body by the binding curse, Tom's pain was amplified, making him releasing a scream that was capable of freezing a soul and that echoed through the entire Chamber. And then, a much known voice could be heard. "Tom's alive!"

"Crucio." Dumbledore said, and turned on his heels to face the entrance of the Chamber. Tom heard many steps. Much more than just two persons. He couldn't turn his head to see who else was coming… He was between Dumbledore's feet and the feet of the statue, facing the end of the Chamber with the right side of his face magically pressed against the slightly wet floor. Not a great view from the entrance, to put it mildly. But he still could hear. "Oh, you came here to rescue your friend." Dumbledore observed calmly. "I wasn't expecting you… But I've always liked audience."

"I'm pretty sure _many_ people will like to see you go to hell." Tom frowned. Was that Eileen Prince, the chaser…? Well, she always had a sharp tongue, and apparently that didn't change even if front of Dumbledore.

"Let him go!" Hermione demanded. Now, Tom was sure that the voice was Hermione's. The bossy tone was familiar.

"I'm afraid he has been a terrible student in my short time as Headmaster." Dumbledore replied.

"With all due respect, Headmaster…" Abraxas said. "But you have been a terrible Headmaster."

And then, the battle began, again. Tom wasn't sure of how many people were there, but someone released the curse on him and stretched a hand to help him to stand up. "Everything is alright, mate?" Ignatius asked.

"As good as they can be." Tom replied, picking up his wand on the floor, still feeling pain on his joints, and when he moved. But at least it has been only one Cruciatus. Now he saw what was happening further in the Chamber. Dumbledore was trying to fight five students at the same time, and Tom already knew Hermione and Abraxas were powerful, and if Eileen's tongue was as sharp as her reflexes… Luc had a vast repertory of spells and Orion was just as better with a wand. Though there was a little problem with all this. "The ceiling." Tom muttered. "It's going to fall."

"It's going to what…?" Ignatius asked again, finally noticing the dust that was falling on his shoulder. "The ceiling! We have to get out of here!"

It would create a problem and solve another. If the basilisk was in the Chamber, it would be trapped, since the Chamber was a cave, and it had to go to the pluming to move within Hogwarts – but not only the basilisk would be trapped. Everyone would be trapped, and Dumbledore would find a way to get out, Tom was very sure of it. Then… How they would leave? Both Tom and Ignatius were frozen in their spots. But Ignatius had an idea first: "We can accio broomsticks!"

"Great." Tom agreed, and walked as fast as his joints would let him walk to join the fight against Dumbledore and push him further to the end of the Chamber. Ignatius was faster and already summoned the broomsticks, though they would take a while to get where they were. But Tom noticed Dumbledore's powers were extremely high, or else he would be defeated by now…

And Tom lost his focus again. A Blasting Curse hit a stalactite and then, indeed, the ceiling started to fall. Tom said an obscenity under his breath and looked at the entrance, hoping that the brooms would get sooner. Tiny little rocks fell on the floor, and they were getting larger… Dumbledore noticed when a rather heavy rock fell close to him, and he thought it was a great opportunity. He was just going to leave them there, and say it was their fault... And he fled, using the great powers of his wand to levitate himself, and made it to the bathroom without a scratch. Though he left twenty seconds before seven broomsticks apparently flying alone came to the bathroom using another hallway.

OoOoO

"I don't know how to fly!", Hermione shouted, trying to control her broomstick, that always wanted to go to left.

"Me neither!" Abraxas replied. And to think a minute before they were in the Chamber and not they were flying through the hallways trying to find a way out. Being in the second floor didn't help much.

"I'm going to blast a window!" Luc warned and, indeed, a window large enough for them to pass blasted open a few feet ahead of them and Eileen flew ahead, and with a swift movement, she was out to feel the fresh air of the night. Hermione saw Eileen was an excellent flyer, unlike herself and Abraxas. He almost cut himself with glass because he couldn't steer the broomstick.

"We have to go down." Orion said. "The wards won't let us out. We can go to Hogsmeade by foot and then fly somewhere else."

They all agreed, even Tom, who was under quite some pain – yet. They didn't know how many were in the Dumbledore's army and if they were caught… But Dumbledore commit the mistake of no one guarding the exits, and no one in Hogsmeade… Perhaps he wasn't waiting that anyone would escape, and he would only receive the news seven students blasted a window and left in brooms too late, since they were almost out of the Hogwarts' wards.

The luck was on their side, and they once more flew… And this time, to very far away. They only stopped when the sun was rising, and landed in a forest.

"What's the plan?" Orion asked as soon as he put his feet on the floor.

"Plan?" Tom laughed, sitting down on the remaining ice. "There's no god damn plan!"

P.S.: Lol, can I just say how I love when they are perfectly safe? I was going to update this yesterday… And then didn't let me.

Blue Luver5000: Thank you… And I always had the impression you could dodge or block Avada Kedrava… The thing is if the spell catches the minimum part of you that exists, you are dead.

Obsessivegirl73: I did have a good time… I even wrote drabbles. Actually, I'm considering the idea… There's a way. Anyway, all the hufflepuffs in my story rock. Hands down.

C8ecat: I have a hard time to make chapters longer than 1.300 words… T.T

WordWings: Thank you, and I hope you are still enjoying it!

Ladyyuuki16: Safely… Yes. To safety? No. *evil laugh*

FivePhoenix: Yeah, I'm really doing everything to make it different. And I loved the idea of Evadne of doing the upside down thing with the Riddle Era, and not the Marauders… Otherwise, would end up being cliché again.

Yellow14: That was my point… Tom is very much like Harry, indeed. Now, if Eileen will fulfill her dreams later…


	24. Chapter 23: Duck

"This wasn't the plan?" Eileen asked. "Are you joking?"

"I wish I was." Tom replied. "The plan was luring Dumbledore to the Chamber while you fought his army on the Great Hall, and then I, Abraxas and Hermione would defeat him while he was in the Chamber. Not end up in a forest with seven brooms and only our wands, without food, water and warm clothes and in exchange, we have a bunch of evil wizards that will chase us soon."

"You forgot the elder wand, mate." Abraxas observed.

Eileen snorted. "As if a wand from a children's book was going to make any difference."

"It's not just a wand from a children book." Abraxas retorted. "It is real, and until yesterday morning, it was Grindelwald's. Until tonight, when Dumbledore killed Dippet and organized a whole trap to bring Grindelwald to Hogwarts… He doesn't preach blood purity, and he values wizards above muggles. In using all Hogwarts students as hostages, and in making all his followers betray him, Grindelwald had no choice but to fight."

"What is the elder wand anyway?" It was Luc's turn to ask. By then, all of them were sitting in the still icy forest floor, the broomsticks aside, and no idea of what to do next.

"Is one of the Deathly Hallows." Eileen lectured in her monochord tone. "It's a story where these three brothers had to cross a river and made a bridge. The river was supposed to kill them, and the Death shows up, and says they had the right to ask anything they would like. The first chose the Elder Wand, the most powerful wand that exists, and hypothetically is undefeatable. The second chose the Resurrection Stone, so he could bring his lost love back. The third chose an Invisibility Cloak, to hide from the Death… It's quite bloody for a children's book, though."

Everyone was paying attention in Eileen, and Hermione noticed even further her resemblance with Snape. Her tone was much alike his and she didn't need to do much to call everyone's attention. "And what happens with them?" Hermione inquired.

"The first two Peverell brothers are very, very unlucky. Or stupid." Eileen shrugged. "The guy that chose the wand kept bragging about it and someone killed him in his sleep to get his wand. The Resurrection Stone made the second Peverell kill himself. I mean, the girl he loved was there, but… She was dead, she didn't belong to this world. The third… That was a lucky bastard. The Invisibility Cloak kept him hidden from Death until he gave the Cloak to his first son. Someone say that they really existed…"

"I don't know about the other two Hallows." Abraxas mused. "But the Elder Wand can be real. Tales of an undefeatable wand exist in the whole world, and it's possible to point it out the track of its owners. It's often a track of blood. It does have blanks, but apparently Grindelwald was the last owner. Otherwise, I don't understand why Dumbledore would take Grindelwald's wand."

"Grindelwald said something about giving his wand to Dumbledore if only had he asked." Ignatius observed. "But then, how are we going to defeat a wizard that has an undefeatable wand?"

"The wand is not undefeatable." Orion concluded. "If it really exists, then Dumbledore was able to defeat it…"

"And what are we going to do now?" Luc spoke, her brows brought closer together due to her worries.

"Right now, the wise thing to do is split." Tom said. "They will be after us soon, and we are too many… We have to hide in separate places until we find out what to do."

"I will take Eileen, Luc and Ignatius to Dorea's house." Orion volunteered standing up. "Dorea will keep them safe. And then… I come back."

Hermione frowned. She got that Dorea helped them, and immensely, but what she didn't get was happened between them… However, she didn't thought it was important, at least not now. Well, she was in an unknown forest, with no clothes, no money, no food, and as Tom put it, with a bunch of evil wizards behind them, only her wand and a broomstick that she didn't even know how to fly well with. Hermione concluded that what happened before could wait a second.

"And what about you?" Ignatius asked. "Are you camping in the forest?"

Abraxas snorted. "I have a house, you know."

"Are we going or what?" Orion urged.

"You put us in a hell of a mess, new girl." Eileen said goodbye to Hermione.

"I really hope we can see each other soon." Luc spoke, and Ignatius finally grabbed Orion's arm, along with the two girls. With a crack, they were gone.

Tom ruffled in hair in a desperate manner. "We are in terrible problems." he said, keeping his head down. "And it was my fault."

"Look in the brighter side." Abraxas advised.

"_Which_ brighter side? That we are going to die later than the expected?" Tom asked, hissing a bit, angry with himself. "There's no brighter side of this."

"But we are still alive." Hermione argued. "We still can do something. And it wasn't your fault." she added. Hermione felt oddly safe there, and she had no idea why. There was another crack, and Orion appeared again.

"So, are we going?" he asked.

"Yes, we are going."Abraxas said, standing up, followed by Tom and Hermione. "Is the same place." he spoke to Orion.

"And what about the brooms?" Hermione questioned.

"We have to leave them there." Tom thought. "Because then they will lose our track."

"Oh." Hermione replied. "But… I can't perform apparition." she confessed in a low voice.

"No problem there." Orion said, taking her hand. Hermione blushed deeply, but before she could even think of something she felt a constriction, like she was suddenly inside a garden hose. And then she was somewhere else. Hermione kept her eyes closed, but she heard another crack, and someone spilling some sort of liquid.

"You scared the hell out of your father, kid." and Hermione suddenly opened her eyes, letting go of Orion's hand. She was in a house, but it was messy, just like Abraxas' quarters… There were books and parchments everywhere. It was a big room, divided in a medium kitchen and a rather large living room by a counter. The walls were in a soft tone of blue. There were two purple couches and between them a center table with a muggle radio opened, its components spread apart. There were a great number of shelves and a desk was in a corner. Apparently there wasn't a dinner table. And then she focused on the man standing behind the counter, in the kitchen.

"Sorry, dad." Abraxas apologized. "But we are in trouble… Sort of. And these are Tom and Hermione. You already met Orion."

The man laughed. Hermione studied the man with curiosity. He was pretty much like Abraxas, but with a harsher face, unshaven and with longer hair, tied in a loose ponytail. "I noticed." he said, grinning. "And I thought you were a good Head Boy… But have a seat, kids." he added quickly. He was still on his pajamas. "Just don't poke that radio. It exploded last week and I had to obliviate the neighbors."

Orion was the first to sit and Tom followed him. After, Hermione, rather reluctantly sat on the couch and Abraxas was the last. He seemed at home there… But Hermione noticed there was no sign of his mother.

"You can call me Brutus, but it was a poor choice of name... Apparently he was my great great… _Great_ grandfather." The man introduced himself, sitting at Abraxas' side, in the opposite couch Tom, Orion and Hermione were sitting. She saw he was barefooted. "How did you get here?" he asked with concern. "I heard what happened in Hogwarts yesterday."

"Luck, mostly." Orion replied. "Though with Dorea and Charlus' help…"

"But I just came here to tell you, dad… Because we can't really stay or-" Abraxas started.

They were interrupted by a duck.

P.S.: Hermione, Orion, Luc, Abraxas, Eileen and Ignatius are now Death Eaters. And this is the nonsense chapter of the story.

Blue Luver5000: Why does everyone threaten me so I can write faster? What usually happens next is a chapter where nothing happens. Though Brutus happened.

C8ecat: I just don't like wasting my time in descriptions T.T Anyways, I completed 1,340 words. Which is something.

Obsessivegirl73: It's like his inner human being showing… He's thinks it's his fault. I _find_ Hufflepuffs to be awesome.

Yellow14: Well, he_ had_ a plan. Then everything fell apart because Dumbledore wanted the Elder Wand… Though for now on he will be pretty much like Harry. And villains always have the same problem: they talk too much.


	25. Chapter 24: Hiding in plain sight

"That… Furniture is new." Orion observed, eyeing the duck. "I haven't seen it."

"There's a perfect logical explanation." Brutus said. "This duck…" he continued, pointing to the duck. "It's poisonous."

"Poisonous?" Tom finally said something. Hermione, so far, didn't dare to say a word. A few hours ago she saw the fall of the Chamber of the Secrets, and now she was sitting at a messy living room while Hogwarts was under the control of Dumbledore, and there was a poisonous duck. That was something she wasn't counting on. At all.

"Yes." Abraxas replied. "My dad works in the Ministry. Committee of Experimental Charms."

"And apparently Gary wasn't dangerous enough for the Department for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, and no one in the committee wants to use an unforgivable to kill it. So we take turns, until it dies. But try to don't touch him." Brutus explained further, stretching his legs and crossing his ankles. "I've… Run out of antidote. Gary, go to your room." And oddly enough, the duck obeyed and went to a corridor in the end of the living room and walked inside a room. "You were saying…?"

"You've heard Dumbledore took all students as hostages, haven't you?" Abraxas asked. "So we are kind of on the run right now. I just dropped by to tell you this and let you know, or else you will be in danger too, dad."

"I have danger for breakfast." Brutus observed standing up. "Though I do have to work right now, so… Stay and have breakfast. We will talk this through when I get home. Don't leave." He warned and left.

"You heard it." Abraxas said due to the lack of reaction. "Let's have breakfast." and he stood up too to go to the kitchen. Orion, Tom and Hermione exchanged glares and followed Abraxas.

"But don't you say your father would be in danger if we stayed?" Hermione asked, snapping out of her muteness, going in to kitchen, right behind Abraxas. Orion just rested his elbows on the counter, and Tom did the same.

"I did." Abraxas replied, opening the fridge. "So… We have milk…" he muttered, grabbing a bottle of milk and opened a cabinet. "And cereal. That's a good breakfast." he said poking Hermione in the arm with the cereal box. Hermione was still standing up in the middle of the kitchen, eyeing Abraxas. "What…?" he asked.

"Are you going to leave your father?" Tom whispered as loud as he thought wise. "When he's out?"

"I have to." Abraxas said in a low voice. "It's complicated." he sighed, putting the milk and the cereal on the counter, while Hermione was looking for bowls and spoons.

"That's not right." Hermione said, with four bowls and four spoons on her hands. "You shouldn't…"

"Like I said… I have to." Abraxas repeated, picking a bowl from Hermione's hand and a spoon as well, placing them on the counter and started to serve himself. "I shouldn't even come here, in the first place, now that I think about it."

Silence loomed in the kitchen after Abraxas' statement. They knew Abraxas was quite right…. They started to eat the meal, standing the way they were, without saying a word. The silence was broken by a door being opened. It was Brutus, fully clothed and shaved. "Stay safe, kids." he said before leaving the apartment. Hermione noticed it was an apartment when she looked through the window and there was another building in front of it.

"Are you really going to do this?" Orion asked, after swallowing.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am. He's my only family." Abraxas spoke. "I'd rather not see him dead, fine…? Let's just finish this, get some clothes and leave."

"But where are we going?" Tom questioned. "We have to stay around London; so we can know what's happening… Dumbledore doesn't have enough army to chase us properly, so I guess we are mildly safe if we stay hidden near here… "

"We could rent a flat in Diagon Alley and glamour our faces to look like someone else if we have to leave." Orion suggested. "I think I have some money in a bank… Muggle money, I mean. Then we can exchange it."

Hermione was listening to the conversation, but now she was pacing across the living room and something on top of the desk called her attention. It was a photograph… There was Abraxas when he was three or perhaps four years old, running with a wand on his hands, destroying some books as he waved it without a clue of what he was doing. Running after him there was a woman… With deep brown hair in a braid and equally dark eyes. "Abraxas…" she said, going to the kitchen with the picture on one hand and her bowl of cereal on another. "Is this… Is this your mother?"

"Yes…" he replied, pretending he was busy washing his dishes, while Orion and Tom still were eating. "She… Died more or less a year after that picture was taken." he smiled a sad smile. "That's why I don't want to stay. If my dad is ever in danger I…"

"But don't you think your dad think the same way…?" Hermione insisted.

"I don't know if you noticed, but my dad doesn't think straight. His pet is a poisonous duck." Abraxas said. "I prefer disappointing him than putting him in danger…"

OoOoO

One hour and a half later, Hermione was wearing masculine muggle clothes in her size… And she got a moustache. No one of the three boys couldn't stop laughing. "You look beautiful." Orion said between giggles.

"Ha ha." Hermione snorted. "Why do I have to be a man…?"

"Because yes. Besides, we don't have female clothes." Orion replied. He had transfigurated his brows to larger ones, and his hair was now straight. "You look just fine. It's for your safety."

"But… We don't a have a background story." Tom observed. "What if we need it?"

"We don't need one." Abraxas replied. "We can use magic if someone asks… And we look different. All we have to do is not being recognized."

Hermione wasn't very sure about their plans of hiding in Diagon Alley… It was too easy for Dumbledore. But it had its advantages. Hermione didn't know for sure if the Trace was working on her, because Dippet did warn the Ministry about her, that's how Hermione had money to go to Hogwarts in the first place, though she was from another time and another world... However, in a place like Diagon Alley, the Trace didn't work properly anyway. Magic was always being performed there, and most likely, would cover Hermione's magic if she had to use her wand.

And despite all this, she couldn't help but being fascinated with London on the forties. Abraxas lived in an apartment close to the center of London, she noticed when they left the building. The technology was different, the clothes were different… Everything was different. Though the war had caused serious troubles, and the town didn't look a bit like Hermione remembered it.

P.S.: I would have updated yesterday if I didn't have to make tons of research to know about the technology in 1943… I did make them before I started writing but then I didn't know if there were fridges, cereal and etc by then. Now, I just found out that the Trace works one way in the first six books, and another way in DH. So… I chose the way it worked for the first six books.

BlueLuver5000: Ok…

Yellow14: No, it is a duck, really. Brutus sounds like the type of guy who would like to have a poisonous duck. Also, it's always useful ;)

Laurena1234: In canon, Des are bad, right? So in the upside down universe, they are good. Simple as that.

Obssessivegirl73: I loved AVPM. And the sequel. The duck was only for cliffhanger purposes... Or perhaps more, who knows?


	26. Chapter 25: World War Two

London was devastated, to put it quite mildly. Hermione gasped basically at every street, surprised by the great destruction of the bombs and the misery of the people. "Hermione, can you calm down?" Tom muttered. "It's not the end of the world."

"Looks like." Hermione replied. "I mean, look at this!" she exclaimed, pointing at an obliterated building.

"But haven't you come from a country which was destroyed…?" Orion asked, eyeing Hermione. "Or it was better than London…?"

"Oh…" Hermione remembered that she didn't tell Orion yet. "Yes, in fact, I have."

"Then why are you so surprised?" he insisted.

"It's different." Hermione replied. "That's all. Can we walk faster?"

And Orion dropped the matter with a cease between his eyebrows. Many buildings were destroyed; however, the bank was intact. It was an Abbey National, in its early years. There was no computers, no ATMs and everything was apparently controlled by people, and therefore, there were much more employees than a bank in the 90s. Orion approached a lady in a counter, and didn't even lose his time with explanations. He just waved his wand discretely from his pocket, and the lady's eyes went aloof, much like Hagrid's. He had confounded her.

"How much do you think we are going to need?" he whispered to Abraxas. "I have 5,000 pounds from my heritage."

"Then I guess that will be pretty much it." Abraxas replied. "Even though a flat in Diagon Alley must be really cheap with the war going on." he continued in a low voice, taking care of not being overheard. Dumbledore wasn't going to look for them in the muggle London, but nevertheless, be careful was never enough.

"5,000 pounds from Arcturus Black III account." Orion said to the lady. "You don't need any documents, passwords, anything." he continued and the lady just agreed, and turned to fetch the money. "Well, it was easier than I thought." he confessed.

"Don't you think your father is going to notice?" Hermione questioned.

Orion waved his hand dismissively. "At least it's a sign that I'm alive. The news must have spread already… What is losing 5,000 pounds when your son is lost…?" he muttered. "Besides, it's my money anyway…" he shrugged. Soon the lady was back and the confundus didn't stop her from looking weirdly at Hermione, as if deciding what Hermione was. Hermione knew she was a great view with short hair, moustache and three companions with beards and straight long hair. But it was just for now… Later, they all agreed they would change the way they transfigurated their faces, just for precaution.

They left the bank and the lady was still a bit aloof, looking nowhere in particular. "Is she going to be okay?" Hermione asked.

"Of course." Orion replied, grinning. "It will wear off within half an hour."

OoOoO

Diagon Alley didn't have destroyed buildings, but it was in a state very close from London, with closed stores and all. Hermione wondered if in her world Diagon Alley was like that too. Which could be possible. Umbridge's presence in Hogwarts meant Voldemort was rising to power… Hermione felt a bit of relieved that in this world that wasn't going to happen. Or at least that's what Hermione hoped.

Gringotes wasn't hard to get inside. There were guards on the door that looked suspiciously at them but Tom was quick to also confound them. No problems so far… Apparently no one was really looking for them. Which was quite good… They were still clueless about what to do next, but at least they were safe… Well, partially. The goblin, just like the lady in the bank, looked at them curiously. Though Orion was clever enough to not exchange all the money at once so no one suspected from him… Especially because they couldn't exactly say they were in vacation, and they hadn't have a background story at all if anyone asked anything.

Luck was still on their side, and they could leave Gringotes with the pockets filled with galleons. Now, the second part was just finding a flat… Which was kind of hard, with a quite great number of stores closed. But, luckily to Hermione, Florean Fortecues' Ice Cream Parlour was open, and Florean himself, quite young by then, was complaining: "With these wars, who wants to buy ice cream…?" he shrugged. "Well, I do have a flat available for you… What are your names again?"

"I be Aleksei…" Abraxas said faking a deep voice and lack of English. Apparently, he had thought in what to talk if someone asked something. "This be Adrian" he continued, pointing to Tom. "The short one be Boris" he said referring to Hermione. "And this one be Dimitri." he spoke pointing to Orion.

"Oh, so you are Russians?" Florean asked sympathetically.

"Precisely." Orion replied, he, too, was faking his voice and both Abraxas and Orion were in the verge to giggles as Hermione noticed. But the moustaches didn't let Florean see their smirks. "How much?"

"A hundred galleons per month." Florean replied. "You know… With everything that is goin-"

"We take it." Abraxas replied, and took off the galleons from his pocket and resting them in the counter with a metallic sound. Florean didn't waste too much time to keep the money and hand them the key. When they finally opened the door and dropped in the couches, in the small living room, they could breathe properly. The fear of getting caught still existed, but at least the door and the windows had magical wards, cast by Tom. The flat was indeed small, but comfortable…

"What now?" Orion asked, aiming his wand at Hermione to make her get back to normal.

Tom sighed. "No clue." he confessed. "Obviously we can't hide forever. One day they will find us, but… There must be something we can do. But what…?"

"Buy food." Abraxas replied with a shrug. "But I'm not in the mood of leaving right now…"

"Me neither." Hermione agreed.

Tom suddenly smiled. "However, I have a good time killer for us." he said. "This." Tom continued simply, taking off his pocket a parchment… A parchment Hermione knew. Dippet's parchment with the spells he was testing to take Hermione back home.

"You brought it!" Hermione exclaimed, her hands covering her mouth. "I thought it was lost! I can't believe it!"

"It was in my pocket when we left to Dippet's office last night." Tom explained.

"It's a piece of parchment." Orion observed. "With… Names."

"Spells." Abraxas retorted. "And they are important. Didn't you ever ask where Hermione came from…?"

"I thought she was a refugee." Orion said frowning.

"I'm not." Hermione replied, taking off the time turner she kept with her all the time… The broken time turner, that didn't twirl anymore. Hermione never took it off her neck, ever. It was the only physical memory she had from her world, apart from her wand.

"You are from the future!" Orion suddenly understood. Well, not very much. "That's why you were so surprised earlier!"

"Not quite…" Abraxas said. "She's from another world, mate."

P.S.: Ha, what are they going to do now…? I'm not exactly on the mood to write, forgive the short and bad quality chapter.

Yellow14: I think it has – though I can't explain in less than ten lines… Anyway, I researched on Wikipedia and said there that fridges already had the modern design in the 40s, so I thought they already were house hold items. T.T

Obsessivegirl73: Reminds me of it too… And Brutus is indeed a weird bloke. Too bad Abraxas' mother died early.

BountyHunterGirl1234: Fine. As long as you work on the Ministry of Magic.


	27. Chapter 26: Discovers

Orion stared at Hermione, then at Abraxas, at Tom and was back at Abraxas. "She's _what_…?"

"I still don't quite believe it." Tom shrugged. "It will take some time for the news to sink in."

"But it's true!" Hermione retorted. "Otherwise, I wouldn't be anywhere close to any of you!"

Hermione knew she shouldn't exactly be glad that she ended up there, because then it would way harder to come back, but… Well, Hermione plainly couldn't imagine her life without meeting them. And it took the weight of not changing the future of her shoulders, since Hermione knew nothing about what was going to happen, even if she could _try_ to guess. It was a bittersweet accident, what happened with her a couple of months ago… Orion was still speechless, staring now at a wall, trying to understand.

"What do you mean about I _wouldn't be anywhere close of any of you_?" he asked, finally.

"Because…" Hermione hesitated. It came easily for her to talk about that with Tom and Abraxas, but in that specific situation she had the impression she was going to sound crazy. A month ago, she didn't know Orion. It was _way_ harder to explain that to him. "It's upside down. Everything, I mean…" she mumbled and like she imagined, she wasn't making any sense.

"What she means is that you would be a different person in her world." Abraxas interrupted. "I, for example, would raise my only son to hate muggleborns. Tom would become the next Dark Lord, and Merlin knows who you would be."

Orion raised an eyebrow. "Tom? The next Dark Lord? Eh, he wouldn't hurt a bee." And he waved his hand dismissively. "Or at least… Not until now." he continued thoughtfully, teasing Tom.

"Glad to see you believe me." Tom spoke ironically. "But trust me, no. That's not going to happen… Though you should've seen Hermione's face when she saw me for the first time." he added with a smirk. "Priceless."

"I had no idea, Tom." Hermione explained herself. "Besides, I never gave a thought about what Voldemort looked like when he was younger… I wasn't expecting... Well, you. And I'm not exactly sure if you have the same face as he had…"

"He's a lucky guy if he had my face." Tom replied. "Too bad he lost his nose."

Abraxas cleaned his throat. "_Glad to see_ we are all set." he observed. "Let's move to the part where we have absolutely zero idea of what we are going to do now… No, but really, do you want to stay sitting here forever?"

Sitting in that couch Hermione could forget she was actually hiding. She had the crazy idea of basically hiding for the rest of her live, but she knew that was something she wasn't going to do by any means. Of course she wasn't going to do nothing while Dumbledore was taking over the world, and, at the same time, Hermione felt powerless about that. Fine, it was not only her, Abraxas, Tom and Orion. There was Luc, Eileen and Ignatius hiding somewhere, along with Charlus and Dorea, and she had no idea if they were still fine – or alive, for that matter.

"Oh, I know." Tom said. "We are going to _buy food_! And check the flat to see if everything is in order." and he stood up, going to the kitchen. "We are _actually _going to live here for some time, you know, if we are lucky."

"Yes, sir." Orion replied, standing up too. "Since I am the guy with the money, I'm going to buy your precious food, Tom. Though I'm hungry myself. Come with me, Boris." he added, faking the Russian accent.

"Boris is you, Hermione." Abraxas observed. "I'm going to find the bed clothing!" he said, already going in the only bedroom that was on their new home. Quite small for four people, but it was a roof over their heads, and a relatively safe place to stay as long as they weren't too careless to being recognized in the streets, which was really hard, as Hermione find out that Tom always had something in his mind and Abraxas was as smart. Orion himself, cocky as he was, wasn't anywhere close to careless.

For now, they would keep the Russian disguise, because the clothes were the same, but Tom thought it would be better if they left with different clothes and a different face every time, and avoid going to the same place twice to, say, buy milk.

It all hit Hermione a bit hard in the face, because despite of Voldemort and Umbridge, Hogwarts was always there – Dumbledore was always there. But now, Dumbledore was a person Hermione certainly couldn't count on… And Dippet was dead. Dumbledore's Army looked like child play comparing to what Hermione was facing now. In her world, if they failed, it was guaranteed that Dumbledore was going to save their necks somehow. But now, if they failed, they were going to die, plain and simple.

But every coin has two sides, and this situation couldn't be different. Hermione had never thought about it at first, but despite all this, she felt free, perhaps. She still loved Harry and Ron truly and deeply, though she couldn't stop herself from thinking that they would be entirely counting on her and her brains if they were there, with her, when Dippet was killed. For once in her life she didn't know what to do, and for once, she didn't have to. Quite a good feeling for her.

"Are you really from another world?" Orion asked suddenly, while walking down a street, now in muggle London. Hermione nodded. "Would it be too selfish of me to wish you stay…?"

Hermione didn't know what to say, to be honest. Heck, she might as well want to stay, but if she had a chance, after everything in this world was over, she would go back to her world in a heartbeat to finish what she started. "Yes." she replied. "I have to go back. It's not exactly peaceful there either. Remember when Abraxas said Tom would be the next Dark Lord?"

"How could I forget?" Orion snorted. "Hilarious. Especially the _he lost his nose_ bit."

Hermione smiled. "Well, he killed my friend's parents and now if after him. We sort of made a secret organization under the Ministry's nose." she spoke remembering Sirius' words. "But it seems childish now." she confessed as her smile fade away and sighed.

"Why?" Orion asked. "Seems good."

"Because there, if we failed, we probably were going to receive a life worth of painful detentions." Hermione explained. "But that was it. It's not like… Now."

"You are scared, aren't you?" he asked, again, but didn't wait for an answer. "I am, too. But hey, everything gets better, eventually… Besides, I am sure we will find a way of sending you home."

Hermione was sure from the moment and on, that her feelings for Orion could be anything, but ambiguous.

P.S.: I hate fluffiness, but there you go, romantic readers. Yaaay, fluffy T.T Why do I dislike romance so much?

Obsessivegirl73: A little tiny bit, but it was more because while I had a faint base to make Abraxas' father (his descendant, Brutus Malfoy), I had nothing on his mother. ZERO. So I decided she was dead. Besides, it gives Abraxas more depth, so.

Yellow14: I was trying to keep the accents away, because I'm really bad at making them. Though it was kind of necessary so I worked it out :)

BlueLuver 5000: Work on the committee of experimental charms :D The poisonous duck was a completely random idea I got.

Oh, and Nikko (if you are reading this): No problem. Not everyone is born a writer. But I'm glad you liked this story, since for me, it's the hardest to write.


	28. Chapter 27: The missing muggle

One week passed since they ran away from Hogwarts. Ignatius, Luc and Eileen were craving for news. None of their parents knew where they were, but it didn't eliminate the possibility of one of them being kidnapped by Dumbledore, and tortured after information. Charlus and Dorea were quite relaxed about it, and they knew more or less what was Dumbledore's situation and that he could not afford, not for a second, loose his grip on Hogwarts or the Ministry was going to intervene.

But the three youngsters always read the muggle newspaper, and the Daily Prophet, with hunger, only to sigh relieved later, when they didn't find anything saying that their families were in danger. And soon, the days passed… Until in one morning, where Eileen opened a muggle newspaper and stared at a fix point in a page for one minute. "They took Tobias." she said, her voice still in the same monochord tone, but nevertheless, it was possible to see the worried undertone.

"Tobias?" Luc exclaimed and took the newspaper out of Eileen's hand. "No way!" It was possible to see Luc's green eyes scanning the page after what she was looking for. "They took him!"

"That's what I was telling you." Eileen replied.

The house where they were hiding was rather comfortable, as Charlus worked in the Ministry and he and Dorea were planning to have children soon. Well, the war stood in the middle of these plans, but they bought the house anyway, with the hopes that the war would end fast. Dorea didn't have a job, because she didn't graduate in Hogwarts. But that's why she always spent the day reading books, practicing, and trying to improve her magic. The graduation wasn't really necessary.

"What?" Dorea shouted from upstairs. "Who was taken?" she shouted again, but now she was going downstairs. Dorea had wavy black hair and darker green eyes than Luc and Orion, but it was possible to see the resemblance. Soon she was standing in the kitchen, staring at Luc.

"Tobias was taken." Eileen spoke.

"Who is he?" Dorea asked to Eileen. In the beginning, their relations were a little tense, as Eileen didn't approve at all that wizards could dominate the muggles.

But in that night Dumbledore took over Hogwarts, Dorea didn't come only to save Orion. She came to save Luc as well, and… That wasn't really the place to talk, but Dorea managed to explain quite nicely that she finally had realized that was what she and her husband did was wrong. Things went way off hand, and it was time to do the right thing. Not that Charlus liked much the idea of it in the beginning, but…

"_This is really what we are fighting for, Charlus?" Dorea asked, her hands resting in the waist, her eyes locked on Charlus' hazel eyes. "We are just killing muggles! Where's the equality in this, tell me."_

"_They killed many wizards too!" Charlus replied. _

"_It was back in the age of the stones, for God's sake!" Dorea retorted. "I won't do this anymore. It was wrong but it doesn't make what we are doing, what we did, right! My family hates me, I hate myself, and I might as well hate you too! This isn't for the greater good anymore, Charlus, and you know it." she hissed. _

"_Don't say this." Charlus muttered. _

"_The truth?" Dorea asked again, outraged._

_Charlus remained in silence for one minute, before sighing. "You know I love you, right…? And yes, I agree with you, but what other path can we take?"_

"_I don't know." Dorea confessed. "But it doesn't matter. We will find something to do."_

Eileen wasn't present in this conversation above, so she hesitated a bit before saying: "A friend of mine. He's a muggle. Went out in the newspaper he's missing."

"Well, there's war for muggles too, don't you think tha-" Dorea started. Well, it did make sense as a person missing in war times wasn't surprising at all.

"You know that this is not the case." Eileen interrupted. "My things stayed in the Gryffindor dorm, remember…? There were three photos of him in my trunk."

Dorea sat at the table too. "We will find out where he is." she assured. Eileen's face and tone of voice was mostly unreadable, but her words often betrayed her, and it was quite easy to see that she was worried and afraid. "And take him out of there."

"You can bet on it."

OoOoO

"I'm telling you, there's something to do with a device." Abraxas said stubbornly, while the four were sitting in the dinner table, doing what they always did when they bored, which was always. Trying to find the spell Dippet was looking for. It was still morning and no one really bothered to change from pajamas.

"Which device?" Tom asked.

Hermione bite the inside of her cheek. It has been a week since they were hiding in that flat, and a week since they started to work on that piece of parchment more than five hours a day, when they are not cleaning, or going to the muggle London to buy anything they might need. They tried not to spend money without a purpose and Tom was already up to a job in Flourish and Blotts. But it was frustrating that nothing had happened yet, and that still, they had no success in finding the spell. She was sure, that eventually, they were going to hit the jackpot. But she was not sure when. Another thing that was frustrating was to read the Daily Prophet. The Ministry wasn't doing much, because Dumbledore could kill a student anytime, and in Hogwarts were all the young wizards in Britain.

"Why is this so difficult?" Orion asked to no one in particular.

"Because Dippet is dead." Tom replied bluntly. "We were on our way to ask him for more… I don't know, clues, when… Well."

"That was unfortunate." Abraxas observed. "But we will keep trying."

The little discussion was interrupted by an owl, which landed in the rail of the window of the living room. It wasn't the only window of the flat, but it was the only one which could be seen by passer in Diagon Alley. The curtains always remained closed, but they could hear the owl twittering and insistently tapping its beak against the glass. Orion was the first to stand up and approach the window carefully. He opened the window, taking care of not being seen by the people in the Diagon Alley and let the owl get inside.

The owl was black with yellow eyes, and had a letter attached to its leg.

"Who would send us a letter?" Hermione asked. "We are hiding!"

"Well, someone did." Tom said, getting the letter and opening it. "It's from Dorea." He informed, reading quite quickly. "Apparently, Dumbledore took someone called Tobias to find their location."

Hermione covered her open mouth with her hands. "Tobias?" she asked a couple of seconds later, perhaps she heard it wrong. No, she didn't.

P.S.: Oh, well. What's going to happen?

Yellow14: It is a bit, because after a rather busy night in Hogwarts, staying at a place in mild safety seems surreal, indeed. I imagined what it felt like to James and Lily… And that's the impression I got. And yes, Harry will need her…

Obsessivegirl73: I have this mushy feeling of "ewww". My friends told me I have a rock in the place of my heart. And thanks!

Blue Luver 5000: It has its utilities :)


	29. Chapter 28: The kidnap of Tobias Snape

Tobias was worried. Eileen's mother just called him for a cup of tea and she explained that a terrible thing had happened in Hogwarts, with Eileen. Apparently, an evil wizard, or whoever that bonkers man was, took all the students as hostages, but Eileen had escaped, and therefore, her head would be something some people would go after. Even though he was worried, Tobias smirked. Of course that Eileen would find a way to escape. "She will be fine, Mrs. Prince." he said.

He wasn't very sure of that… But, nevertheless, he had to believe in it. Eileen has always been special, Tobias thought. But that was because she was witch, something that when they first met, Tobias had no idea of. Until this date, he wasn't really sure of what being a wizard meant… After all, he was a muggle. And when Eileen finally went to this wizard school, Hogwarts, she couldn't show Tobias what she could do – all she did was tell him, and fascinate him with her stories. Tobias thought that all the wizards were like Eileen, but recently he found out he was wrong – some still persecuted muggles, Eileen told with a sneer.

Though he had no idea he was going to be more than just an observer. Tobias was walking back home, after a day volunteering to reconstruct buildings, since he wanted to be an engineer, when, suddenly, he lost control of his body. It wasn't a bad feeling, not at all. He felt free, but his legs were taking him close to two men standing in an alley. Tobias now stood in front of them.

"Are you sure this is the one, Weasley?" the blond man asked to the ginger man.

"Of course he is, Longbottom." The man called Weasley replied, and unfolded a photograph. Tobias' eyes would widen if only he could move a muscle. Longbottom was holding a stick that Tobias recognized to be a wand. They were wizards.

"Yes, he really is." Longbottom agreed, and Tobias fell unconscious.

OoOoO

When he woke up, he was sitting in a chair. He tried to move, but a pressure stopped him from doing so. It didn't take too much time for him to think that he was magically tied to that chair. He opened his eyes, and he was in a room. Could've been a dungeon… Dungeon? Well, it wasn't Middle Age… Though Tobias knew wizards still dress a bit like they were trapped in that age, so probably their buildings were in the same fashion, he reasoned. There was no light, only a floating fire above his head. Definitely wizards.

_But… What wizards would want with me?_ Tobias remembered Weasley and Longbottom, whoever they were, had a picture of him… A picture with him and Eileen. They had her stuff, then. But not her, Tobias suddenly thought. _They need me because they don't know where she is._ Tobias sighed in relief.

"The muggle is awake." a feminine voice said. "Shall we get started?"

"Don't be so excited to start, Minerva." a masculine voice replied. "After all, we can't kill him, can we? He might know wher-"

"I don't know where she is!" Tobias shouted. "You are just going to waste your time."

The heavy door suddenly opened, and Tobias saw a man and a woman with the strangest clothes he ever saw in his life, but it wasn't really the time to worry with weird clothes, was it? "You are lying." Minerva said. "Crucio!"

Tobias felt a burning pain in his entire body. Every muscle, every nerve, was feeling the pain of getting burn in a bonfire. He, however, was not screaming. "Crucio." Minerva said again, and the pain was slowing fading away, but still, his body ached. "So? You still don't know where she is?" she asked.

"As if _tickles_ would make me remember." Tobias retorted.

"Tickles?" Minerva sneered. "Do you have any idea what can I do to you, muggle…? I can kill you." She threatened.

"No, you can't." Weasley observed.

"Dumbledore wants us to find where they are hiding." Minerva retorted. "If the muggle doesn't know, we might as well kill him, and that's what I'm going to do."

"_The muggle _doesn't know." Tobias echoed. "Kill me, if you like. Though I'm not certain if _Captain Dumbledore_ would like to know you disobeyed his orders, _Officer Minerva_ and _Officer Weasley_."

"You little mudblood!" Minerva hissed. "Crucio!"

One more minute of burning pain. "Crucio." Tobias wasn't sure if Minerva got his officer joke. _Must be a muggle joke. _

"It is true that you know Eileen Prince, witch, student of Hogwarts?" Officer Weasley asked, pacing around Tobias. Minerva was still standing on the door, her nostrils inflated.

"Naturally." Tobias replied and smirked. "Otherwise, I would be asking what the hell I am doing here, Officer Weasley."

"He's making fun of us, Septimus!" Minerva exclaimed. "What is an Officer, muggle...?" Due to Tobias' silence, she insisted: "Answer me, muggle!"

Tobias decided he wasn't going to answer anything or else Officer Minerva was really going to kill him. He had no value whatsoever, and like the two in the room liked to remind, he was a muggle. He heard the name Dumbledore before, and was very sure he was in great danger. But… There was still the possibility he would be kept alive, as bait. It has been a week since Eileen disappeared, and no sign of her. He wondered if Eileen got to know he was missing, or if Eileen did know, she was going to fall for the trick. Tobias hoped not.

Two hours later, and after quite a lot "crucios", they gave up on getting any information from Tobias. He was bleeding, and with severe spasms, but in other ways, quite fine. "So. A-are you d-done?" he asked, his jaw was shaking a bit.

Just like he imagined, he was kept alive. Throw in some sort of jail in a cold and moist dungeon, but it was better than he was expecting. Instead of heavy doors made of wooden, there were bars… No locks, though. Tobias immediately assumed the bars were closed by magic and therefore, there was no way he could escape. However, he didn't pay much attention to anything else. He was resting his back on the cold stone of the wall, waiting for the spasms and the pain to subside, before looking better in his brand new room.

"What you did?" an old man, the front "neighbor" asked.

"Met a girl up the street." Tobias muttered with a whimper of pain. "Who… Who are you?"

"I'm Grindelwald. Perhaps you heard me." He replied calmly. "And you?"

"Ah. The one who kills muggles. How fortunate." Tobias observed. "I'm Tobias Snape, and I had the luck of being born a muggle."

P.S.: So… Yeah. You've been expecting it, no?

Obsessivegirl73: Tobias won't come back for some time u.u I'm sure he will have a great time in Numengard.

Yellow14: You have to shot a panda bear in the face to get one. Joking. Anyway, Hermione surely won't leave at that, but… It will be harder than they imagine finding Tobias.

BountyHunterGirl134: Totally. And I'd love to be a witch. Instead, I am a fanfiction writer T.T

Blue Luver 5000: Updated!


	30. Chapter 29: Super evil Grindelwald

Hermione read the letter thrice, as if she didn't believe in her eyes. "But… Where did they take him?" she muttered, more to herself than to the three clueless boys on the room. That was something she wasn't expecting at all, to be honest.

"Uh… Hermione?" Abraxas said.

"What?" Hermione replied.

"Who is Tobias…?" Abraxas asked.

"Oh… He's a friend of Eileen." Hermione explained. "And he's a muggle, so… He's in danger. Kind of." she added.

"But no one knows where they took him." Tom stated. Hermione said no with her head. "Oh, that's nice. That's very nice… What are we going to do, then?"

"We don't even know where he is." Orion observed.

"We don't." Hermione agreed. But she was sure somehow they were going to find out where Tobias was, and take him out of there, if Dorea sent a letter talking about. There was a chance they got intercepted, so it was dangerous just to communicate… But Dorea, and into an extent, Eileen, thought it was worth the risk just to give the news. So Hermione knew Eileen was counting on them to help. How, exactly, Hermione wasn't sure, but there was always a way.

Tom was pacing. "Are you sure the letter is from Dorea?" he asked.

"It's her calligraphy." Orion replied, opening the window carefully so the owl could leave. "I'm sure they will be expecting us wherever they are keeping this Tobias guy, but I don't think Dumbledore would fake a letter… And, besides, he's Eileen's friend, isn't he? Why send this to us, if it's not Dorea?"

Abraxas was tapping his lips. "In other words, they are asking for our help. Orion is right, though. If Dumbledore has half of a brain, he is expecting that we will save Tobias. _Hell_, that's exactly what we are going to do."

OoOoO

Charlus was thinking along the same lines. There was, indeed, the possibility that it was a trap and Dumbledore was just expecting them, or at least, Eileen, to fall for it. After all, he was significant to her, and Charlus was pretty much sure that if they refused to help her, she would find Tobias alone. The worst part of it is that they couldn't leave to the Diagon Alley, or to any wizardry place. Charlus and Dorea were not following Dumbledore anymore, and they, particularly, were in danger, since many knew them personally. So, it would be really hard to find out where Tobias was taken, even though Charlus already had a guess.

"He could've been taken to Nurmengard." he said to Dorea, Luc, Eileen and Ignatius.

"Could've been." Dorea agreed. "But… It's a fortress in the middle of the ocean, isn't it?" she asked. "And it has anti apparition wards… If we are going there to get Tobias, how are going to get there and break all the security measures?"

"That's the problem." Charlus sighed, and put his glasses back on place, they were sliding through his nose. "Unless we get caught on purpose and somehow escape… I don't see how we are going to make it either, since they are not going to commit the same mistake they made on Hogwarts and not check for extra wands… It was a very clever trick that we can't use again."

Eileen wouldn't show it, but she was deadly worried with Tobias' fate. She thought that he would be left out of the mess she got herself in, and only to think what he might be suffering, made her shudder. And even though Nurmengard was a good guess, that's all it was: a guess. They didn't know where he was, or how they were going to save him and not blow everything, more than they already have… Or there was a thought Eileen didn't even dare to imagine: that he was already dead. But, no, it was something impossible for Eileen's mind to grasp. However, everyone else was thinking exactly that.

"Isn't Nurmengard where they took Grindelwald?" Ignatius asked all of sudden.

"Yes…" Luc replied. "So it must be very well warded, Nurmengard." she observed.

"I don't care." Eileen shrugged, stubbornly.

And meanwhile, in Nurmengard, Tobias spent two days in silence, after he admitted being a muggle. Grindelwald seemed to be a bit reluctant, but, in the end, he spoke: "Don't you hate them?" he asked. "The wizards?"

Tobias shrugged. "Not really. Some are bad, of course, but it's stupid to think all of them are." he replied.

"Isn't because of a witch you are here in the first place?" Grindelwald insisted, waiting that Tobias would start to do what Grindelwald imagined all muggles did: hate on wizards. But Tobias was a different kind of muggle… After all, he grew up with a witch. He was familiar to magic, and already knew it could be wonderful, and also could be destructive. It depended on the wizard, and he knew very few wizards were, necessarily, evil or wanted to hurt muggles.

"And why you are here in the first place?" Tobias snorted. "Aren't you super evil or something? Shouldn't you be out there killing muggles and ruling the wizard world?"

"I'm here because of a friend." Grindelwald replied. "I was betrayed, kid, and some day, we all will be… Even your friend you met up in the street. Do you think she will risk her neck to save yours, Tobias?"

"I hope she won't." Tobias spoke. "After all, I would risk my neck for her, but what can I do? I'm just a muggle. Useless, or something close to that. I'd rather that she risked her neck for someone who has utility for something."

"Love, isn't it what they call it?" Grindelwald giggled.

"Or something." Tobias shrugged. He couldn't avoid being mildly interested on what Grindelwald had to say. "Who was that friend of yours? Dumbledore, if I am correct?"

"You have a sharp mind, kid." Grindelwald observed. "Yes, it was Dumbledore. I am a friend of his, but he's not a friend of mine, if you understand what I mean. Everyone eventually leave you in a bad place or make you go there in the firstly. I thought it wasn't going to happen to me, but… It did."

"Nice sob story." Tobias sighed. "Mind if I tear up…?" he mocked. "Honestly, you were up to slave people like me. Mercy isn't something you should expect from a muggle, _Grindelwald_."

"I thought so, kid, I thought so."

P.S.: Useless chapter were nothing happens. Writer's block, _again_ T.T I was going to update yesterday, if only I had a good idea. I didn't. I've earned a taste for writing character analysis, meanwhile.

Obsessivegirl73: In the beginning, I've always pictured Tobias as goofy, but then I decided to kidnap him and thus, a bad ass was born. I try to not let anything loose… It drives me mad when I see something in the Harry Potter books that doesn't make sense T.T

Yellow14: Yeah, I was going to exchange the world for "muggle" but then I forgot. Anyway, glad you liked Tobias. Nothing less for Eileen ;)

Blue luver 5000: I had writer's block, but here I am again.


	31. Chapter 30: The almost kidnap of Brutus

As the days went by, Hermione grew more and more exasperated – true, she haven't even met Tobias, but she knew how important he was for Eileen, and it was dreadful to imagine what he's been through in these days on wherever he was… Also, Hermione, even though not a bit fond of Severus Snape in her world, was already fond of Eileen and Tobias' unborn child, somehow. To her, it wasn't like only Tobias life was at stake.

But, still, they carried on with their "normal" routine. Though it was exhausting for Hermione to have to transfigurate her face every time she left the flat… The boys were more than helpful to teach her that skill, and, also, they tried to teach her how to apparite… Illegal or not. Hermione didn't like have to depend on someone to go to places, and she struggled to learn, and she was already getting the hang of it. But, nevertheless, she was tired to be scared all the time, as if the door was going to be blast open and they were all going to be killed.

Orion helped a lot to keep Hermione in a good humor, but in the last couple of days, it was not working. "What's wrong with you?" he asked. Their task was looking for food. The war made the food in the muggle world to be really rare, and it was rather expensive. Tom and Abraxas worked in Diagon Alley because they rather work than walk all day long. "Aside from… Well, you know." he added. They could talk rather freely in muggle London… But the possibility that Dumbledore was looking for them in the muggle world was getting bigger as the time went by.

"It's just that…" Hermione babbled. "Nothing happens! We can't do anything. It's frustrating." If anyone cared to listen to them, it seems like they were talking about the muggle war.

"Relax." Orion replied. "Of course we will do something. Just… Not now. Besides, if what Abraxas think is correct, then Tobias is well… Or as well as he can be." he observed with a scowl.

Orion didn't know Tobias, or Eileen, as a matter of fact. But if Hermione was committed to save Tobias, then Orion would be as well. Their relationship was somewhat indefinite… It was no surprise to anyone that they were in love, not even to the rather clueless Tom, but the situation on their shoulders didn't leave much space for romance, actually… Though Hermione made an effort to remember every single moment she spent with him, because she knew that anytime that could end – either they would die, or, in the case they survived to defeat Dumbledore, which seemed really distant, Hermione was most likely going to her world. And she wasn't sure if she could ever come back. The future looked uncertain, and Hermione grasped the rather dark present like it was her last hope.

"We don't know that." Hermione observed grimly.

Orion hesitated. "We really don't." he admitted.

However, they didn't have any idea they were being overheard – and by someone who knew specifically what they were talking about. The man decided he had heard enough and turned on his heels, walking the opposite direction Orion and Hermione were walking. He just had discovered something really important.

OoOoO

A week and a couple of days after Abraxas ran away, Brutus was lying on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. He already had memorized every spot and every slight crack of it, so there was no more use to actually look at it. He had been insomniac since his son run away. Perhaps it was a rather harsh expression – run away – but Brutus knew that was the case… Abraxas was not taken. There were clothes missing, if they were kidnapped, why the kidnappers would take some clothes with them…? Brutus had no idea why Abraxas did that; and he was desperate. His had lost his wife already.

But, gladly, Brutus was not up to develop an addiction in alcohol or being depressed… It wouldn't do anything but to amplify his turmoil. Rather, he would spend hours and hours studying, inventing new spells, working on his radio or anything in that sort. Perhaps leave to the muggle world and pick up any irrelevant woman he found in the way – habit he was not exactly proud of… He was still in slight grief for his wife, refusing to fall in love again, but… Well, he was not dead. Which, he reasoned, must be the explanation why Abraxas was the way he was. Brutus certainly hasn't taught him as much. That night, a woman with light brown, curly hair called "Camille" or that was what Brutus remembered was sleeping, snuggling to him.

She was fast asleep, and she didn't hear the sound Brutus heard. It was something clicking. Brutus thought it was just an impression, and kept staring at the ceiling, however, now he was paying close attention to anything he might hear. Another noise, something heavy falling on the floor with a thud. He decided to check in what was happening and slipped out of the bed, picking up his trousers on the floor and retrieving his wand from his pocket. Camille was a muggle, so she couldn't see the wand – but she was still sleeping, gladly for Brutus.

There was a man on his floor, covered in boils, and Gary was at his side. "Good duck." Brutus muttered. The venom left the person unconscious, and, of course, covered in boils… Which was why, when Brutus was alone, he never stood close to Gary. There was a wand lying next to the man. Whoever he was, he was definitely a wizard. Brutus stood there thinking of what to do, and sent Gary to its "room". If the unknown man was breaking into his house at night, couldn't be a friend. Brutus took the man's wand, and heard movement in his bedroom. _Bloody great._ He was quick to grab the antidote for Gary's venom and make the man the swallow. He was also very quick in casting a body binding curse and also a Silencio while the man recovered.

"Brutus?" he heard Camille mutter. "Where are you?"

"I will be right back." Brutus said in answer, and stared at the man, wondering what to do with him. Of course Brutus was not going to let the man go, and sure as hell he was not going to hide the man in his apartment. Then, an idea came across his mind. A very wrong idea, indeed. But, he reasoned, it was better than exposing the wizard world. Camille was moving in the bedroom. Brutus aimed his wand at the man on the floor, silent, but certainly scared. "Imperio." Brutus muttered.

He made the man wait outside, and just when he was closing the front door, and watched the man closely, as if the man was going to leave. After all, Brutus never used an unforgivable before – and that's why Gary, the duck, was alive – and he was not sure if it was going to work. He closed the door just in the nick of time for Camille to appear in the hallway, wrapped in a sheet. With a fluid movement, the sheet fell to the floor.

P.S.: I'm glad my story is rated T in a chapter like this. Also, I'm almost going mad of need of writing the upsidedown!Snape now that Tobias is awesome. That's all.

Obsessivegirl73: Great idea. I used it, actually. And as you can see, the result is a very different one… Though my inspiration was the book Hunger Games (aweeesome), and somehow I've ended up with this. I should probably make my story rated M. Lol.

Blue Luver 5000: Thanks, but I've got things straight now :)

Ladyuukiy16: For now, everyone is more or less ok. For now.

BountyHunterGirl1234: I'm writing two stories right now, but if you want my help, I will be more than glad to help you.

Yellow14: Actually, I don't have a mental image of Grindelwald… But yeah, it's nice to write Grindelwald/Tobias scenes because Tobias is awesome u.u


	32. Chapter 31: Aleksei is uncovered

When Camille left in the next morning, Brutus sent the man to go somewhere else so she didn't suspect of anything. But in the exact second she was out of sight, he called the man back. It was luck, really, that the man had about no mind skills, or so it appeared to Brutus, since he knew the Imperius Curse could be defied by sheer will. And still, the man was obeying. Brutus made the man sit in the couch and went to kitchen, to have breakfast and think. Well, most likely the man would have some useful information… Though Brutus didn't have veritaserum and it was clear as the day that he would have to force whoever was sitting on his couch to speak up. However, not with another Unforgivable…

No mind skill, Brutus remembered. And he prayed that he was right about that when he muttered "Legillimens" aiming his wand at a spot on the man's forehead. Brutus was glad to find out he was right, and soon he could see a flood of memories. It was boring, to put it mildly, to try to find the ones which could hold any information. Reading minds it was like reading a book, though not quite like it. Brutus had to check every single memory, seeking for one where a name or something useful was talked about. And then he stumbled across quite a good one.

"_I have a task for you, Evans." a woman Brutus couldn't quite recognize said. Brutus also couldn't exactly tell where both Evans and that woman were… Well, that wasn't exactly important. "It's very important, so I advise you not to fail."_

"_What is it, McGonagall?" The man whose mind was being read asked, Evans. _He seemed to be nervous. Well, Evans was quite young, though he could not be younger than seventeen. Most likely this was his first task, which made Brutus grin. What a nice first task, kidnap a member of the Ministry, no one less than the head of the Experimental Charms Committee. Could be some kind of test, Brutus reasoned. And Brutus didn't know McGonagall at all, to be quite honest. And, exactly as he imagined, the task was to kidnap him. But then, something called Brutus' attention.

"_And what about my old task?" Evans questioned. "I haven't found a single clue of them."_

_McGonagall scowled. "Then you must abandon it. You are having no results, anyway." she observed. "Find the Malfoy and bring him here, and they will come."_

Oh. So, Evans was originally looking for the kids who escaped. Hermione, Tom, Orion… And Abraxas. Then that's why there were so many memories of streets, apparently meaningless. Brutus decided to go through all of them. Until he stopped at another one, quite interesting. It was Evans, going to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Shop. And then he sat at one table, asks for a sundae… Everything is quite normal, and then, it's like a part of the memory is missing. Brutus is observing from quite far away, but the attendant, who is not Florean, is out of focus. Though the way of walking of the attendant is familiar. Brutus tried to work on it and undo whatever spell modified the memory, but it's no use.

And there were about four or five memories like that, all in different days. Apparently, Evans liked sundae quite a lot. In all of them, Brutus could not see the attendant at all. But the fact that whoever modified Evans' memory didn't want anyone to see who the attendant was… Well, no one would look at the memory of some guy going to have ice cream, anyway. Brutus withdrew from Evans' mind, somewhat tired, and just sat at the opposite couch, watching the young man with some freckles and deep red hair. He wasn't going anywhere – and Brutus sent Evans to the kitchen to cook something for lunch. Perhaps Evans could be worth for something. Did McGonagall expect that instead of Evans kidnapping Brutus, Brutus would kidnap Evans? Not quite…

A few days later, Evans, under Brutus' control, located Orion and Hermione leaving the flat. Brutus had mastered the Imperius Curse and now Evans acted quite like a real person, and not like a robot, so it was easy to follow anyone Brutus wanted around, even if he was busy at the Ministry. Evans followed them up to the muggle London, until he heard one of the words Brutus wanted him to hear: Abraxas, Tom, Orion or Hermione. Any of these would do.

"So, Evans, have you found anything?" Brutus ask sympathetically when he made home after work. Though it was joke, of course. Evans could not reply and Brutus was glad for that – because otherwise he would be in serious trouble. Evans also knew nothing about Occlumency, so it was very, very easy to read all his memories from the day. And Brutus found out exactly what he wanted. The flat above Floreans Fortecues' Ice Cream Shop, where Orion and Hermione left. Hermione was with a moustache and beard, but Brutus could tell it was her. Orion he would recognize even from a distance. He decided he would drop by for a sundae any day.

And that is what he did in the very next morning.

OoOoO

Abraxas could not quite believe on his eyes. He barely left the deposit when there he was, his father, sitting at a table. Must be a sick joke, because there was no way Abraxas would not be recognized. He went back to the deposit, reorganizing the things he already spent part of the last afternoon organizing. Oddly enough, his skills of organization got him the job, even though he was the one who left everything out of place in the flat. Well.

"We have a costumer!" Florean shouted from the room he used to make the ice cream.

"Great." Abraxas murmured, and went to the shop per se. Since his cover was already over anyway for his father anyway, Abraxas just whispered: "How do you find me?"

"Nice beard." Brutus replied and sighed. "And I had help. And the two love birds shouldn't go babbling on the streets using their real names. And definitely not yours."

"I wasn't expecting that my own father would be peering through the streets." Abraxas said.

"I wasn't expecting that a trainee would try to kidnap me in the middle of the night." Brutus explained. "And I would like to see the hiding of yours. Am I invited to a tea?"

Well, to those passengers, it was just a casual conversation between an employee and a costumer. But going up to the flat and having tea? Certainly would look suspicious. Abraxas' cover was over only to his father, and Abraxas would like to keep it that way. Brutus knew what Abraxas was thinking.

"I want a sundae… And who are you?" Brutus asked with mockery due to Abraxas' silence.

Abraxas hesitated. "Aleksei." He muttered, finally. "Tell you what. Come here when the shop is closing. Then we can have your bloody tea."

What they both didn't know is that the bloody tea would bring such great news.

P.S.: Yes, Evans is Lily's father, since I completely ran out of characters. I already wrote the Epilogue. Guess what? Upside down Marauders, and Aunt Hermione. Because I felt like it.

Yellow 14: What I like about Snape the most is that I know I wouldn't have moved a finger to save Lily if I were in his place. I am an awesome person, I know. Anyways, Brutus in not up to too much, just… You know, finding his son and everything. Saving the day.

BountyHunterGirl1234: Abraxas is probably the most liked character. And Gary is the second most liked. Though I like Brutus and Tom the best because they are plain fanservice for myself. No shame on that.

Blue Luver 5000: I am on Mockingjay currently. My favorite character, believe it or not, it's Cinna. He's awesome. And Rue. They are all dead D:

Obsessivegirl73: I never cried to a book. I never cried to anything, but I did cry when I writing. _Once_. And no smut, I guess. Unless there's Tom in it, is my front neighbor, actually, and we never really talked… And Gary had to something to the plot, right?


	33. Chapter 32: Tea party

"Mr. Malfoy…?" Hermione said with undisguised surprise when Abraxas opened the door, and right behind him, Brutus appeared. She was cleaning the living room while Tom cleaned the kitchen. Orion was responsible for the bathroom – it usually didn't take long, not with magic.

"Who's there?" Tom asked, putting the head out of the kitchen to see who else was on the living room. He, too, was quite surprise Brutus was there. If someone was able to find them, then they had a breach on their "security".

"I decided to make a surprise. You seem surprised." Brutus replied and sat by the couch without any ceremony. "And you shouldn't go talking on the streets." he continued to Hermione. "You had luck that I was the one who found you… You and your... Shall I say friend?"

"You said you had a story to tell." Abraxas said when Hermione wasn't able to say anything. Tom was standing on the door, leaning his body weight at one side of the hole of the door, to listen. It would be interesting to hear how Brutus had found them.

"I think I just heard someo-" Orion interrupted and saw Brutus sitting comfortably. "Oh." He said. "Hi, sir."

"Sit, kids." Brutus demanded and they obeyed, except for Tom. "It's a long story…" he sighed. "A man Evans showed up in my house in the middle of the night, when I was trying to sleep. Under the orders of McGonagall, whoever she is." he told them. "And, apparently, he can't tell when a duck is poisonous and touched Gary. When I found Evans, he was unconscious on the floor with boils all over his body. Wasn't very hard to catch him. So I put him under the Imperius curse and read his memories." he made a pause. "Then I controlled them to search for you. And then, the two love birds here were talking in the streets, using their real names." Hermione blushed a bit.

"But it wasn't necessary." Brutus added. "Some of Evans' memories about having ice cream were modified." And he sent a piercing look to Abraxas.

The story wasn't exactly long, but it was interesting, for sure. Brutus now had under his custody a young man whose memories could be used to get any information he might have. Brutus casually forgot to mention the exact reason he put Evans under the Imperius curse – and they didn't ask either. Gladly. Hermione probably would've asked if only she wasn't thinking of how much Evans knew. They had a source of information. And information is exactly what they needed in the moment.

Abraxas showed no remorse. "I _knew_ I was doing something wrong." he blamed himself. "But he was walking around here… I knew he was looking for something. I thought the something might be us."

"And how much did that Evans knew…?" Tom questioned from the door. "Because we have a situation here. A friend of another girl who escaped with us, Eileen, was kidnapped. We don't know where he is. We don't know if he's still alive, for that matter." He lowered his voice to say the last sentence. Hermione realized that Tom and Voldemort were actually very alike. In Tom's eyes, was the gleam of determination that would look murderous if Hermione didn't know he was committed to save someone, not kill. She already noticed Tom was unstoppable, and so was Voldemort. That made Hermione think of how everything was going in her world. She shook her head slightly to send these thoughts away. There was no use in lingering on the memories of her world, not now.

"Well…" Brutus hesitated. "I didn't check all of his memories, to be honest. I was searching for the ones that were related to what he was doing in my house, and many memories were from his times in Hogwarts and others that I didn't even bother to check. So I must have overlooked whatever you are looking for."

"Then we must tell Eileen." Hermione urged and all the looks in the room turned to her. "She… She really wants to know." she added, a little embarrassed from the attention. "Tobias was her friend since she was a child."

"That explains a lot." Orion observed, leaning in the couch in a relaxed manner. "I know where they are hiding. I can go there now, if you want." Without even standing up, he was gone with a loud crack.

OoOoO

And so the five were dining in the kitchen, silently. The lack of news and information was making them anxious and restless. Especially Eileen. She was restless by nature – after all, she was a chaser – and she became more and more worried and the time went by. She knew if they took too long, Dumbledore would kill Tobias. And that she, that was never much happy with anything, certainly wouldn't be happy at all if Tobias died. In the hands of a wizard. The same Tobias that was fascinated by magic. Eileen had to appreciate the irony of the situation, while chewing the awful pasta Charlus cooked. She didn't have a clue why that man was still allowed to be anywhere near a stove.

To break the tension, there was a crack in the living room. Everyone put their wands at ready almost instantly, and Dorea went in the front to the living room, where the crack came from. Sounded like an Apparition. "Hey, it's me." a voice Eileen knew said. "And I guess I bring good news." Eileen finally made to the living room and Orion was there. The ice between Luc and Orion relationship surely had melted long ago, because Luc was hugging Orion tightly. Well, Eileen herself became fond of Dorea and Charlus, why not Orion too? Luc was one of her closest friends after all. Though it was still a little weird – they ignored each other ever since Eileen could remember. And now they were hugging.

"Which ones?" Charlus asked, with a little frown, while Luc was released from Orion's arms, and went to stand at Ignatius' side.

"The ones where Mr. Malfoy, Abraxas' father, has Evans under his custody." Orion said. Well, Charlus and Dorea should know who Evans was. "Which means we might get to know where Tobias is."

"Who is Evans?" Eileen asked, skeptically. Though she really wanted to be true, that Evans, whoever he or she was, knew where Tobias is.

"He's one of the new followers of Dumbledore." Dorea explained.

"And how exactly did Brutus get to put Evans under custody?" Charlus asked and crossed his arms. "He explodes his department at least once a month." Eileen didn't care much if Brutus exploded the whole Ministry every day. The important thing is that there was a possibility of saving Tobias. Brutus might as well explode the whole Britain once a month and Eileen wouldn't care less.

"The story is quite interesting." Orion spoke. "What about some tea?"

"You can have what the bloody hell you want." Eileen replied in a somewhat neutral tone of voice, though her next words betrayed her. "Just tell me this is true."

P.S.: I love writing in Eileen's POV. Yet I kidnap her future husband. Shame on me guys.

Arrow Riddari: Glad you've liked it, and keep reading.

Blue Luver 5000: I'm on denial to Peeta's leg, actually. Lol. I stopped reading Mockinjay because I just bought Feast of the Crows – from R.R. Martin - and since I read Hunger Games and Catching fire in two days, I thought I could use a break.

Obsessivegirl73: My alerts weren't working either… Until yesterday. And my fanservice must always be smart. I like smart guys. Besides, I played with the idea of traditionalism with the Malfoys: Brutus is a Ravenclaw, a bit bonkers and definitely smart. Abraxas is the same. They both share a love for muggles. It is tradition, though in a different way than portrayed in canon.


	34. Chapter 33: Planning with luck

"So there's a secret passage?" Orion asked. "Ha! That will be easier than I thought."

Evans could confirm Tobias' presence in Nurmengard, gladly... And the secret passage was definitely a bonus, though not as much as Orion thought. Grindelwald was in Nurmengard too, and sure it would be heavily warded and heavily guarded. Which smelled pretty much like a trap, as Tom pointed out. But the problem was: they would, for sure, catch the bait. Even the most reluctant of the persons will agree that leave Tobias there to rot, or to die was not an option. Hermione was surprised that Charlus was as much involved in it as Eileen was. All the nine fugitives, plus Brutus and Evans were in Charlus and Dorea's living room, trying to figure out the best way to do what they were going to do.

There was no doubt about that they were going to be received with not so friendly hexes. Also, what seemed to be a blessing at first – Evans – now it wasn't so good. Evans was missing for quite some time, and therefore, he could not work as a "spy" in Nurmengard. Nor could he be used as a disguise anymore. Evans went missing, and then, all of sudden, appears again? He knew nothing about Occlumency, and that was also dangerous… Clever trick, actually. Brutus doubted they sent Evans into his house as a mistake.

So, they were basically going to do what Dumbledore wanted to do. Go there and save Tobias.

"But we need to have a plan." Tom observed. "It won't work if we go there without any planning…"

"We can divide in three groups… If we don't count Evans." Charlus suggested. "We will be weaker, granted. But they will be weaker too."

"The memory of the secret passage is obviously calling us to go there." Dorea spoke, going on with Charlus' line of thought. "One group can be bigger than the other two to create a distraction. And then the other two groups go inside by different ways, in different times. The smaller group will rescue Tobias… I'm counting on the distraction to be big enough so two persons can do it without problem."

"There is a slight problem." Brutus interrupted. "The magic wards." He said. "Sure, there are no magical wards_ around_ Nurmengard… Or that's what they want us to think. But what about inside?"

"Don't you know?" Hermione asked to Charlus and Dorea. "About the wards they might have?"

"We _knew_." Dorea replied. "I'm sorry."

"And… How are we going to get out?" Ignatius asked.

"Luck." Brutus replied bluntly, but honestly. "If you believe in God, I think you should pray."

Eileen snorted. "God is the one who should be praying. If Tobias dies, He will be in serious trouble." Everyone knew Eileen was talking the truth.

But at least, now that Brutus caught up with their current situation, and since he didn't have to hide, they had another way to get news. The Potters couldn't have access to the Daily Prophet – contact with the Wizadry World was unwise – and if Hermione and the three boys in Diagon Alley couldn't get anything that was worth something before, the Potters were completely shut down from any news…

OoOoO

Grindelwald had another fit of cough that really bothered Tobias. The "dungeons" were not the healthiest environment for your lungs, and the food wasn't exactly enough to keep a person healthy – and personally Grindelwald, who wasn't as young as Tobias. The younger boy scratched his cheek to find something to do meanwhile. The beard that grew in the time he was there, without shaving, also bothered him, and he tried to focus on that while Grindelwald was coughing his lungs out.

They didn't spoke to each other – not ever since Tobias told him not to wait mercy from a muggle. At the time, Tobias had spoken his mind, but, now that he thought about it… It was quite pathetic that Grindelwald was just a sick old man in the same situation Tobias was. Or perhaps it was the fate. The more Tobias thought about his current situation, the less he believed that something like he was going through could ever happen to someone… Ever.

What, in the end, made Grindelwald not worthy of mercy? Well, he killed a lot of muggles, Tobias reasoned. _And he certainly wouldn't feel any mercy for me, the poor muggle that met a witch_. If they weren't going to feel any mercy for each other, didn't that make them equals, in the end? Isn't Tobias the one who was still healthy enough to not cough for five minutes straight?

In times of war that was certainly something that lured in the corners of Tobias' mind. The Nazis wanted to kill all the Jews and not white people – and the rest of the world wanted to kill all the Nazis. What was the difference, then? Tobias wondered if there was even a difference between the "good" side and the "bad" side… Somehow, the Nazis deserved to be killed – hell, Tobias thought, didn't the Nazis also think there are people who deserved to be killed? The difference was the reasons…

He shook his head. Much time without speaking was finally taking its tool… And he avoided thinking of what might be happening out there – if Eileen was in danger, if his parents and her parents were in danger… After all, they were in the middle of both wars. The one in the Wizardry world and the one in the muggle world. Every muggle was in the middle of both wars. Which was kind of revolting, but what Tobias could do, locked in a cell and with a fat chance of getting ill?

Nothing. And what could he do being a muggle? Even less… Not that he resented about that. Tobias enjoyed things that could be logically explained – how a plane could fly in the air, or how could an electrical lamp lit up using only energy… Magic was way out of his range of things that had logic behind it. He had to recognize he would never believe Eileen was a witch if only he wasn't on the spot when her magic unleashed for the first time. She always had been picked for being too short and too thin – and that day in the school they both studied at that time, she lost her patience. Tobias was about to go there and stop the two boys and one girl from doing so… When they were sent flying quite a few feet, as if they received a blow of a very strong wind. Wasn't something he could explain, was it?

The three children were scared of her ever since. Which reminded Tobias that once muggles had the habit of burning witches in bonfires… Well, perhaps Grindelwald had a point – both muggles and wizards were very prejudiced against each other. Eileen probably wouldn't use magic to hurt someone if not provoked. And Tobias knew he wouldn't burn someone in a bonfire just because they are different… But Grindelwald was right about Tobias. He didn't feel mercy for a wizard – just like the muggles who burned witches on bonfires, even though he loved a witch.

"Are you feeling well?" Tobias asked to Grindelwald.

P.S.: I have decided Tobias should be Minister of Magic. That would solve many problems.

BountyHunterGirl134: "What kind of world we live in?" Brutus asks with a heavy sigh.

Obsessivegirl73: No, I like the way I'm doing the Malfoys :D If you know what I mean. And damn, I just spoiled everything.

Blue Luver 5000: But bakers don't need left legs – gladly.

Arrow Ridarri: It's really interesting to write, actually. The 1.0 version of the story was really boring because I followed the rule of "everything upside down" way too seriously. Then I decided I wanted to play around and not change quite a few things, or change it differently :) Though awesome!Tom and evil!Dumbledore remained.

Yellow14: Well, Abraxas' genes had to come from somewhere… However, while Abraxas is quite a gentleman – I was fully expecting that people would wait for me pair to Hermione with him – Brutus is more like a ladies' man. And ended up teaching Abraxas just fine… Tom and Tom (pun intended) are, more or less, the same face of the coin. I just changed a few things that would make a real difference. My Tom can care about people, and also can trust them, unlike canon!Tom.


	35. Chapter 34: The vow

They knew they would be counting on luck, that day. Because all they knew came from, most likely, a bait. Oh well. The plan was quite simple… The "secret passage" in Nurmengard was, basically, a gate for boats protected with wards that so conveniently were given to them by the memories of Evans. It was going to be a big distraction. Charlus, Dorea, Luc and Ignatius were going first… Five minutes later, Brutus, Abraxas, Hermione and Orion were going next. Eileen and Tom were a separate group – they were not going to create distraction. They were going to find and free Tobias. Hermione already knew Tom definitely had talent to create wards… Perhaps he also had talent to bring them down. The hiding places would be useless after the rescue… So they had everything they would need to keep themselves alive shrunken down in their pockets. And, just in case, broomsticks… Eileen's suggestion. To get to Nurmengard they would have to make a trip… Which was very, very calm. Too much calm, in Tom's opinion. It was more than obvious that they were being expected.

Hermione started to feel the fear finally budding up inside of her when her and her group - Orion, Brutus, Abraxas – were in the small boat which was taking them to Nurmengard. The sea and the skies were stormy and everyone was silent. She could see the boat carrying Charlus, Dorea, Luc and Ignatius in front of them, just a small black dot in a gray sea. Tom and Eileen were going to Nurmengard flying. Eileen preferred that way. And Tom wasn't very keen of traveling on boats, as Hermione noticed.

"Do you think they are going to find him?" Hermione asked, looking into the sky and finding Tom and Eileen flying in circles above them, it was almost a dance.

"Yes." Brutus replied. "We will be just fine… Dumbledore doesn't have many men, you know?"

"I hope so." Orion said. "Or else we will be in trouble."

The anxiety was too much for even speak… Soon, the fortress that Nurmengard appeared on the horizon and Hermione swallowed very hard. It was worth it, going there, and she knew it. But she wasn't sure if she ever was going to leave. Hermione felt fingers entwining with hers, and a soft kiss on her cheek.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake." Abraxas complained, looking in the in another direction. Brutus and Abraxas were sitting behind Orion and Hermione. "I knew I should have brought a date."

"And since when you have dates?" Brutus retorted and then laughed. "You don't have all my genes, apparently."

The silence fell heavy as Nurmengard approached them… If before it was as small as a thumb, now was getting bigger. And scarier. As the boat went forward, they realized how big the fortress actually was. It was probably really old, made of dark stones covered with green sludge. There were many windows, which should be nice, Hermione reasoned. Soon the first boat disappeared into the Nurmengard. It has started.

OoOoO

Tobias' favorite hobby in his cell was taking naps. The cold made Tobias sleepy and there was nothing to do. Often Tobias paced back and forth in his cell with an outburst of energy, but it was more common to see him sleeping. When he was not sleeping, he was talking to Grindelwald. Tobias knew more magic than a first year in Hogwarts, then. Taking away the fact he could not perform any magic… But he already had a good knowledge of the theory. He didn't like to think too much about his current situation. He had become really worried about Grindelwald's welfare, ever since they started to talk again… The wizard was becoming weaker and had difficulty to breathe and speak. But Grindelwald spoke, nevertheless. Between coughs and small pauses to catch his breath.

Down the hallway of cells they were being kept, two wizards were there… Tobias found it weird. He only saw the wizards in the first day – the food magically appeared on his cell. And it was impossible to escape, so there was no need of guards. Something had changed. Grindelwald noticed it too. Tobias pressed his face against the bar to see better… The wizards had they wands out and they looked worried.

"Hey!" Tobias shouted. "What's happening?" He got no response… Then he sat on his bed, immerse on his thoughts… There was something wrong that day. Or, he mused, something was right. If whoever controlled Nurmengard felt the need of more security around them, for sure there was a threat. And a threat to them, was a salvation for Tobias. Who knew…? Twenty minutes passed, Tobias heard a really loud noise. And then a voice he knew very well.

"Easier than I thought." Eileen said. Tobias stood up, and then he heard a voice he didn't know.

"We are not doing the hard job." a masculine deep voice spoke. "And for sure the wards will be difficult to bring down."

Steps. Eileen appeared and Tobias smiled. "Long time no see." he greeted her. "What's happening?"

"Your way out." Eileen replied shortly and reached for the bars. She was looking for something. "Tom!" she shouted to the corridor. "What you are doing with them?" she asked.

And then Tom, the owner of the masculine voice appeared. "Just checking if they knew something important." he said. "But they are Occlumens. How convenient…" and then his eyes studied the bars of the cell thoughtfully. "I have no idea how to unlock these." he confessed.

A cough. "I have." Grindelwald said.

Eileen and Tom turned on their heels in the same time to face Grindelwald, who was standing behind the bars of his own cell. And then they looked at each other. "Why would you help us?" Tom asked with undiluted venom on his voice. Grindelwald could not harm them, but Tom had his wand threateningly aimed to Grindelwald.

"Because I know Dumbledore much more than any of you." Grindelwald replied. "But you don't have to listen to me. Why would you?"

"Listen to him." Tobias pleaded. "He… He will help."

"He doesn't help muggles." Eileen hissed, but her wand was pointing to the floor.

"Why know?" Tom questioned to Grindelwald. "Is it because we can free you too?"

"I would suggest to." Tobias said. "He's ill."

"I _don't care_ if he's ill." Tom snapped, with his back turned to Tobias. "I want him dead."

Tobias lips formed a thin line. "Look, he's… He's not like that anymore, fine?" he tried to persuade Tom. "I know."

Grindelwald sighed. "I will teach how to do it… And then you can leave me here."

Tom lowered his wand. "In this case." He agreed.

Though Tobias could not understand very well what Grindelwald was explaining to Tom, or why Tom disliked Grindelwald so much… Or even hated. Well, Tobias could understand… But it seemed more personal than because of the obvious. And Tobias couldn't think of a thing to convince Tom and Eileen to save Grindelwald. He would feel guilty for his entire life if they really left Grindelwald there. He would not let that happen. But only then he realized how different wizards were from muggles. They would never listen to Tobias…

Tobias didn't see what Tom did to the bars – Tobias only saw the bars were gone. And he was free. But he didn't want to be free like that. "We are not leaving him here." Tobias said. "He saved me! Isn't that enough?"

Both Tom and Eileen had cold and hard dark eyes, now facing Tobias, their backs turned to Grindelwald. "No, it's not enough." Tom replied. "It will never be enough. We don't have any more time to lose."

"Are you really going to leave him here?" Tobias questioned. "He's just saved me, damn it!"

"Tobias, please!" Eileen said. "We have to go. It's not only us. There are more people in here fighting only to save your life, retard." and she was getting angry. Tobias didn't mind. And Grindelwald was watching silently. "Tobias." she hissed. "Don't make me…"

"Don't make you what?" Tobias interrupted, quite hurt. She was thinking of forcing him?

Eileen took one step back. "No… I didn't mean…"

"We are losing time here." Tom warned. "We really should be going."

"Force me, then." Tobias suggested. "Wasn't that what you were going to do, Eileen?"

She licked her lips and looked away. "Tom, free Grindelwald." she demanded. "If is that what it takes. Free him."

"I am not going to do that!" Tom snapped once more. "He killed my parents! And he will betray us in the first possibility he gets."

"I will do the Unbreakable Vow." Grindelwald finally said something. "If you don't believe me."

"Oh, I don't." Tom hissed, but he seemed to be considering the idea. His eyes were distant for a second. But then he gave a quick nod to Eileen, and Tobias knew Grindelwald had been successful. Grindelwald extended his arm between the bars and Tom took his hand, wincing slightly at his touch. He wasn't bothering to hide his contempt.

"You know how to do it?" Tom asked to Eileen.

"Yes." she replied and shrugged. "Sometimes I get bored and study."

Tom took a deep breath and spoke: "Will you, Gellert Grindelwald, do not take any life on purpose, not even to save your own?"

"I will." Grindelwald replied and a golden strip was released from Eileen's wand and curled up around Tom's and Grindelwald's united hands.

"Will you remain faithful to the Light side?" Tom asked again.

"I will." Another golden strip.

"And will you help us to send Hermione home?"

Grindelwald hesitated. "I will."

And with a last golden strip, the Vow was done.

P.S.: So… Yeah.

Yellow14: Brutus knows a lot about muggles u.u And I'm not even Catholic or whatever. Anyway… Tobias is a great guy. Nothing less for Eileen.

Blue Luver 5000: Bake with feet must be gross. Though I shall try some day.

Obsessivegirl73: There's a lot of fanservice for myself in my fanfic, really… And being reckless like gryffindors is exactly what they did – I just haven't showed it yet.

Ladyyuuki16: I will definitely make a campaign for Tobias be the minister. And everything will be rainbows.


	36. Chapter 35: The battle of Nurmengard

Hermione noticed her hands were shaking when the boat passed the ports for the underground of Nurmengard. Just like Dorea and Charlus predicted, with their arrival being the first, it would create a good distraction. Brutus was the first to jump from the boat to the staircase made of stone that lead to the lowest level of the fortress. Abraxas came second, Hermione went just behind him and Orion was the last one. "Where are they?" Hermione whispered. Abraxas signalized with his head to another staircase made of the same dark stone Nurmengard was made… And that staircase led up in a swirl. The walls were thick so the sound didn't made to the level they arrived, but as they climbed the stairs, it was possible to hear the noise of a battle.

Brutus took his index finger to his lips, telling Hermione, Abraxas and Orion to keep quiet. With careful steps, they reached a hole that was supposed to be a door. It was a long hallway that was interrupted by many other hallways. It was almost a maze. Several feet ahead of them, three wizards passed running. Orion smirked. "What a nice day we are having, no, Hermione?" he shouted. His voice echoed through the hallways.

"What did I say to keep quiet?" Brutus hissed when the three wizards appeared again. Hermione was already throwing the first hex on the wizard in the middle, who flew a couple of feet back and dropped on the floor with a loud thud, while the other two cast was Hermione imagined to be a Blasting Curse towards them. Abraxas blocked the curse with a wave of his wand and cast a Jelly Brain jinx, which was also blocked… But the two wizards could not see Orion's Body Bind curse. The two wizards left also fell on the floor.

"That was easy." Orion said before taking the lead.

"Why don't you listen to the adult here?" Brutus asked before following Orion. Abraxas snorted lightly before following his father. Hermione took a very deep breath before putting herself on move. That was very different from any DA meetings. Thank Merlin Orion and Abraxas knew a handful of spells… And that Brutus was there. Since they were in less danger than the first group, there was only Brutus with them.

"Where are they, for Merlin's sake?" Abraxas panted, looking at the sides. Orion was looking back where they came and he frowned for a second.

"Duck!" he shouted and Hermione quickly bended her knees and felt a Stunning Spell passing above her head. Brutus was the first to stood up again and cast a Reductor Curse. The witch exploded and it was quite gory… Hermione stood up again and was mildly nauseated by all the blood and… Organs around.

"Sorry." Brutus apologized before vanishing everything. "We have to find a window." He observed. There was no window in sight, and their plan was resisting and creating the biggest fuss they could until Tom and Eileen sent a signal they have found Tobias. How they were going to send said sign, Hermione had no idea. But there were a lot of things about the plan she had no idea of… So it was not a big deal. Beside, the fortress had windows, so Tom and Eileen could send sparkles to the skies… That was what Brutus was thinking.

The next level seemed to be the kitchens… They climbed up even more to a level that was empty. The third had signs of battle. Four wizards lay on the floor, unconscious or dead, Hermione couldn't tell. Their wands were nowhere in sight… But the noise stopped. Perhaps it was here… But Charlus and Dorea, along with Luc and Ignatius were not there anymore. "One more…" Hermione panted and they made it to a level where Charlus and Luc where sitting on the floor, resting their backs on a wall. Charlus had a pretty bad cut on his forehead, whereas Luc was bleeding on the leg. Ignatius was pressing the wound in Luc's leg and Dorea was wiping the blood away with a napkin.

"What happened?" Abraxas was already approaching them, with Orion walking closely behind him.

"The four downstairs…" Ignatius replied. "Pretty nasty work." He added.

Abraxas kneeled at Luc's side and started to mutter something… A healing spell. Hermione, Orion and Brutus stood there without knowing what to do… "What are we going to do?" Luc asked in a mutter. "They were so few…"

"There's more." Hermione said with confidence. It had been too easy… There was something worst waiting them somewhere. And if the guards were no after them, the guards must be after Tom and Eileen. And that was not good. Abraxas didn't take long to put Charlus and Luc on their feet again and the eight were back in the staircase, climbing to the higher levels. And then they heard the sound of many, many steps climbing down the same staircase.

"Go back, go back." Luc demanded, turning on her heels to climb down the stairs as well. "They were waiting for us all along."

"Really?" Ignatius asked with mockery. "I had no idea."

"Why just now?" Charlus asked. "They were supposed to be waiting us down there!"

The steps were getting closer and closer… When they finally made it to the level they were at first, where they left the boats, at least twenty wizards and witches were there with their wands pointing at them. And ten more appeared on the stairs behind them. They were trapped… The plan worked, though. If that much people were after them, meant Tom and Eileen were safe. And soon Hermione was confused with the amount of hexes and jinxes cast at them. But she was fighting. Cursing one, hexing another, throwing some in the water…

However, they were losing space, the eight… The enemies were getting closer, and they were going to be harmed anytime soon. Until the small amount of sky they could see by the entrance of Nurmengard was lit up by a very strong red light. That was supposed to be the sign; Hermione thought and immediately started to search on her pockets by her broom. The light made some wizards distract themselves, and Hermione had enough time to put her broom in the normal size so she could fly away. Her vision was dizzy… She couldn't notice her surroundings. All she could do was mount on her broom and lift herself from the floor, looking over her shoulder and throwing random hexes at the wizards on the floor. When she finally made it outside, she was on the lead. A Killing Curse was cast from a wizard on the ground. Hermione thought it was going to hit her and tried to dodge… But the curse met someone in the way. Brutus, who was a few feet behind her. And his body hit the sea…

Everything else just seemed like a dream for Hermione… A minute after they were out of reach, Nurmengard stayed behind, but Hermione felt the tears streaming down her cheeks. All she was doing was looking forward and trying to make her broom go faster. She didn't know where the others where, until she heard a shout: "We should go up!" the voice was Eileen's.

Hermione didn't know how much time passed until she finally spotted a beach and started to go down… And even lower… Until she felt the softness of the sand under her shoes. She threw her broom aside and turned on her heels. Orion was landing too. He also threw his broomstick aside, took two steps close to Hermione and took her on his arms… And kissed her on the lips. "I thought it was going to hit you."

P.S.: Yaay, they kissed. Naay, I just killed Brutus. I just killed my fanservice. Tears.

Arrow Riddari: I like to make my characters suffer sometimes u.u Sometimes I kill them *evil laugh*

Blue Luver 5000: I tried… It didn't work T.T

Laadyyuuki: All your dreams are shattered now that Brutus is dead. Enjoy.

Obsessivegirl73: Is canon!Orion, no? Oh, that will be awesome! Send me the link when you are done, woman!

Yellow14: Too bad I don't know who Lucius' mother is… If I knew she was probably going to be there. Though bringing a date to a prison must be really nice.

BountyHunterGirl134: He's accepting volunteers.


	37. Chapter 36: Hiding in the woods

While still on Orion's arms, Hermione heard someone else landing. The person was Abraxas and Hermione immediately released herself from Orion's grip to run towards Abraxas' direction. "I'm so, so sorry, Abraxas! I didn't see your father!" she begged. Her first kiss with Orion just fell flat, because after seeing Abraxas' broke down face, she blamed herself for not doing anything, even when there was nothing she could do to save Brutus. Abraxas, however, wasn't crying. He had understood what happened, and that affected him a lot, but he wasn't crying.

"There was nothing you could do, Hermione." Abraxas replied, putting his broom on the sand. "I know that could happen."

"No… I should've done something!" Hermione replied and hugged what she considered to be her first and best friend of the new world she found herself in. "I'm really, really sorry…" Abraxas hugged her back… And, oddly, he was the one comforting Hermione, not the other way around. Abraxas already knew his father could die… As he knew pretty well himself could've been in his father's place. No one in that beach was to blame. Then the rest of the pack landed as well. Eileen was the first to appear with Tobias, Ignatius, Luc, Charlus, Dorea, Tom and…

"Grindelwald?" Orion asked. "What is he doing here?"

Abraxas loosened his hug and turned his head to see where Grindelwald supposedly landed. Yes, Grindelwald just landed. And, apparently, he had a serious lung infection, since he was coughing heavily… Hermione watched the scene with her jaw wide open – Tobias approached Grindelwald and they shook hands when Grindelwald stopped. "You are a great man, Tobias." Grindelwald spoke, sounding breathless.

"What?" Hermione asked. She didn't know if she was shocked because Tobias really looked like Snape, or if it was because he was muggle and shaking hands with Grindelwald, or if it was because Grindelwald was there at all. She was the only one capable of speaking… All the others were quite stoic, as if they didn't believe in what was happening… Except from Tom, Tobias and Eileen. Eileen seemed to be pretty bored – but she looked like that… Well, ever since Hermione could remember.

"Long story short." said Eileen to Charlus and Dorea, but Hermione listened. "He can't kill us or he dies. If he tries to hurt anyone, I will make sure he dies."

"That's about it." Tom shrugged, and he didn't sound happy. "Shall we leave before they find us here?" he asked, already walking to the woods around the beach. The beach was deserted and apparently no one had been there before… Which was nice. They didn't need more muggles involved in this story. "Oh, someone needs to get rid of the brooms and any signs that we might be here."

"But what about him?" Ignatius asked, pointing to Grindelwald.

"He's coming with us." Tobias replied. "I hope you don't mind I brought a plus one."

OoOoO

Tom knew he was being quite petty. When he was warding the clearing they found, quite far away from the beach they landed, Tom was really, really mad. Because of course the last thing he wanted or needed in the moment was having to deal with the man responsible for his parents' death… Tom still remembered. He was ten, and the house was on fire. The fire burnt his mother's wand, and his father was a muggle, so they pretty much were to burn to death. He remembered his mother's hug while they found out they couldn't leave, and when the part of the house they were in collapsed. But Tom escaped. And he didn't know how… Or why. At that time, Tom didn't know what a muggle raid was… And he didn't know for the year to follow, when he was sent to an orphanage. Quite rightly, at least he had money on his own, let by his mother on Gringotes. A witch from the Ministry of Magic came to the hospital he woke up and explained that to him.

But then, while in Hogwarts, he found out. And found out who was behind all that. And he just saved that man. Much more that he could handle… But then, Brutus just died and Tom felt guilty for worrying with his old problems when Abraxas had an actual problem in his hands. And they have been friends for quite some time…

"I've heard what happened…" Tom approached Abraxas, who was basically pacing across the woods. "I'm sorry for-"

"Eh, no problem." Abraxas cut off Tom. "My dad couldn't live forever, could he…? He was the only family I had, but…" and his voice extinguished and he looked away.

"I know it's hard." Tom spoke. "I lost my parents too, you know? You will be just fine."

"Hardly." Abraxas muttered while looking into a very distant point in the woods. Tom heard the crackling of a bonfire behind his back – apparently the camp was all set. "But what's left for me to do…?" he asked. "Have a happily ever after?" he snorted.

"We have Grindelwald." Tom observed. "I've made an Unbreakable Vow. He can't kill, he can't go to the Dark Side… And he will help to send Hermione home too. With him on our side, eventually we will get somewhere with hiding in the woods."

"That would be nice." Abraxas turned on his heels to go back to the improvised camp. "Though Dumbledore has the Elder Wand. And he defeated Grindelwald before. Also, Grindelwald is basically coughing his life out. I can hear it from here."

Well, Tom had to admit their chances of defeating Dumbledore were thin. They escaped Nurmengard because the timing was just right, along with the problem that Dumbledore didn't have many men, but Hogwarts was well guarded. By Dumbledore's Army and the already existing wards. They would have to find a way to dodge it, but Tom wasn't sure how they were going to do it. Going there by broom wouldn't work that time… They had to go by foot. A group of eleven persons wasn't big enough to take down Dumbledore's Army… However, it was big enough to make the task of hiding difficult. Tom knew that they needed to split yet once more, but that time it would be harder to find another group if needed… Last time Orion knew where Charlus and Dorea were hiding along with Ignatius and Luc. The future was uncertain, definitely…

Especially because they were not in a good number… Dumbledore was getting more powerful each day that passed. And worst, the Ministry was probably still doing nothing about it. Dumbledore would wipe the next generation of wizards…? Of course he wouldn't. But the Ministry was too afraid to actually do something. What could a group of eleven people hiding in the woods do…? Nothing came in Tom's mind.

"We will figure something out." Tom assured Abraxas. "We always did, right?"

"I doubt it." Abraxas shrugged.

"Tell me about a pessimist." Tom sneered. "No, but really… Everything will be fine."

P.S.: Tell me about a filler chapter, Tom. Also I had a sort of an idea that I'm not sure if people will like it or not, but I think I will do it *evil laugh*

Blue Luver 5000: But we are primates. Close enough.

Obsessivegirl73: For me, every fanfic is AU oO Anywaay… Brutus is dead, like, 4 real. I'm still suffering his death.

Ladyyuuki16: I'm evil like that… Also, I like to kill everyone's parents.

Yellow14: Theorically, it would… The spell Brutus – I think it was him – used was to explode. If a human explodes, of course there will be blood and organs everywhere. In canon we never see gory deaths… Perhaps because it's for children.


	38. Chapter 37: Discovered

Hermione rested her head on her pillow that night with her head spinning. Too much happened in so little time, and as per usual, she couldn't sleep. Tom explained her about the Unbreakable Vow… She knew Tom did the right thing because Grindelwald might as well betray them anytime, but she couldn't help but to be a little worried. Evil or not, Grindelwald was a great wizard, and his mere escape made everything more dangerous for them. And he couldn't kill. This meant that if Dumbledore popped up out of nowhere and there was a battle, Grindelwald, who was the only one who stood a chance against Dumbledore with the Elder Wand, wasn't able to… Finish the job. She wasn't very keen of thinking on murdering someone, but… Well, Grindelwald wasn't killed and escaped from Nurmengard.

And there was one more thing: Grindelwald also promised to help on finding a way to send Hermione home… And the possibility seemed more real, then. Hermione thought that perhaps when the war came to an end, Hermione would be too old… But that didn't worry her. What worried her is that the possibility of going back to her world and not coming also seemed more real. That scared her, and she didn't want to admit to no one. Her world started to be only a blur from the past, even if Hermione could remember pretty well the war there too… And she grew attached from the people in this world. And a lot, at that. She didn't know what she was going to do if she couldn't come back. She sat on the bed and tried to run away from these thoughts.

"Go sleep, for God's sake, Hermione." Orion mumbled with his voice muffled from the pillow.

"I can't." Hermione sighed. "I'm worried."

"Why?" he asked, still lying with his stomach down.

"Because…" Hermione hesitated. "Because we are in danger…" she lied.

"Tell me something new." Orion sat on his ankles, and leaned forward to kiss Hermione. "Fine, you should be worried, but try to not think too much about it. Soon it will be over." And then he stopped to consider what he just had said. "But…"

"I know." Hermione cut him off. "Grindelwald may find a way to send me home."

"Are we worried because perhaps you will be leaving?" Orion asked.

"Maybe." Hermione lied again. "Yes."

"You think too much, Miss Granger." Orion said before leaning forward again and kissing her forehead, her nose and then her lips again. "You are here now, aren't you…? That's enough for me."

When Hermione woke up and left the tent she and Orion shared, the fire was still lit up with a pan floating above it and a spatula magically turning frying sausages. Tom and Abraxas were sitting in chairs near the fire, both of them sipping coffee… And Eileen was there as well, sitting in a chair and with her feet up in another one. "Hi." Hermione greeted them and find a chair for herself. Abraxas apparently couldn't sleep as well. "Is everything alright?" she asked to him.

"Meh." Abraxas shrugged. "We are camping on a clearing with Grindelwald coughing to death, and Dumbledore is after us. So I would say everything is alright… Though Grindelwald is recovering. I don't know if I should be happy or worried with that."

Eileen snorted. "I don't know how Tobias managed to convince Grindelwald. I still don't think he did."

"Me neither." Tom confessed. And with that they stayed in silence for a minute or more. Tobias appeared and Eileen took her feet of the chair to make room for him to sit.

"We were just talking about your new friend, Tobias." Eileen said.

"He's not my friend." Tobias retorted. "I just couldn't leave him there… To die. I didn't forget who he is. And who I am, for that matter."

"But will he help us?" Hermione asked. "Will he work to defeat Dumbledore…?"

"Well…" Tobias thought for a while. "I think so. Yes."

Hermione didn't know if she should trust Tobias with that or not… Though she really wanted to. Even if the end of the war meant she probably was going back to her world, she didn't want it to last forever either… But they were kind of stuck there, without any clue of what to do next.

OoOoO

The days stretched to a week and a half. They knew they should camp somewhere else, but they didn't want to split. And meanwhile, Tom could notice Abraxas was still sulking from the death of his father, even if he wouldn't say… Abraxas was reading for almost five hours, ever since he woke up. He didn't even have breakfast – he just sat on his bed, the lower one from the bunker bed on the tent and started reading. Tom's lips formed a thin line and he sat on the edge of Abraxas' bed. "You really should eat, mate."

"Food is for the living." Abraxas replied and flipped a page. "I'm afraid I am a creature of the dark now." He smirked.

"Come on." Tom insisted. "You can't stay like that forever…"

"Yes, I can." Abraxas replied calmly. "And I ate lunch yesterday, so you can say I'm well fed, thank you very much. Go on with your life."

"Look, I know he was your only family left, but you shouldn't starve!" Tom said. "Really."

Abraxas put down his book. "He was my dad! How am I supposed to be out there picking spring flowers, singing and dancing…?" he questioned. "Just leave me alone."

"Fine." Tom said. "I will leave you alone to be a creature of the dark until you die of starvation." And he did as he was told and left the tent. Tom paced on the woods for quite some time, until it was dark... He heard some branches cracking and aimed his wand at the source of the sound. "Who's there?"

"Me." Abraxas replied and appeared from the middle of the woods and Tom lowered his wand. They stood in front of each other in an uncomfortable silence. "I'm sorry." Abraxas sighed. "You were just trying to help."

"I know what it feels like." Tom said and stretched one arm to give a friendly squeeze on Abraxas' shoulder, but he let his hand stay there for a while… It was a different feeling. He suddenly pulled his hand back. "I think we should…"

"We should." Abraxas agreed and turned on his heels to go back. "We are too far away." But then he stopped and turned back. "But thank you… I know I shouldn't… You know, grief for my father forever…" he mumbled. Tom found himself leaning forward slowly… Their lips touched and Tom pulled Abraxas closer. Tom got a little carried away and stopped, embarrassed.

"I didn't…" Tom started.

"No, it's… It's fine." Abraxas interrupted and kissed Tom back. "Very fine, if you ask me."

But then, they heard loud cracks… Many loud cracks, of apparition. Or the people in the camp left without telling them, or they just have been discovered.

P.S.: Awkward.

Yellow 14: Yeah, Tom's reaction was so accurate I realized he was gay… I'm not even joking. I was writing the last chapter and I thought: "He totally digs Abraxas". And about the smaller forces: I just blew everything, no? :)

Blue Luver 5000: I would do that surgery, for sure. Though I'm not sure if I would be able to dance ballet with extra thumbs D:

Obsessivegirl73: She thinks it was her fault… When Abraxas was already prepared for the possibility… Even though he kind of got depressed. A bit. Anywaay, I should've waited…! *bangs head*

BlackHeartedBirthday: Romance is definitely not my strong point… I just can't write it nicely because just the thought of being _touched_ makes me cringe, so while I'm writing romantic scenes I just want them to be over. Weird.


	39. Chapter 38: Going back to Hogwarts

"They found us." Abraxas muttered and spun around. "Quick! Let's climb up this tree." And as agile as a cat, Abraxas did climb a tree next to them to a rather high branch. "What are you waiting for?" he asked to Tom, who was a few feet under him.

"Well, not climbing up a tree!" Tom retorted in whisper and looked around, nervous. "How is that going to help?"

"Because… If they are going to be taken somewhere else, or killed right on the spot, I think they could use two persons that are not there!" Abraxas explained, sitting very still in a branch, partially hidden by the green leaves.

"Two are missing so check everything!" someone said far away from them, and in the exact direction the camp was.

"Damn it." Tom whispered and climbed up the same tree. How did they find them…? And why so many days later?, Tom questioned himself, his lips firmly pressed together as he watched the floor of the forest under the branch he was sitting on. They have missed a detail, of course. Could've been something wrong with the wards, or someone followed them there, or even… Perhaps Grindelwald told Dumbledore where they were. But, no. Grindelwald would die if did so – he wasn't that dumb, and Tom was smart in making him promise he would remain faithful to the Light Side. Though he was not forbidden of using Dark Magic, which meant that he could defend himself or attack if needed. Well, now it was needed, but apparently Grindelwald didn't do much… They waited a few seconds that seemed more like centuries until they heard the sound of someone cracking old leaves and tiny branches with their steps. Someone was coming… They both barely breathed, grasping their wands so tight that heir knuckles went white.

A fat, balding blond man appeared, with the wand on his wand as if he was expecting an attack. He did the right thing – he was going to be attacked – but he was aiming his wand at the wrong spot. Abraxas jumped right on top of the man, who fell on his stomach in the damp floor, covered with brown leaves. Abraxas rolled to the side, and the man was going to stand up again when Tom jumped and landed softer than Abraxas did, and forced the man down again with his knee pressing the man's ribs. Tom, in a fit of anger, pulled the collar of the shirt the man was wearing underneath the jacket and was making the man choke as he kept his wand aimed at the man's head. "Tell me what happened." Tom spoke calmly, though in a low and very menacing voice. "Tell me what happened or I will hex your brains off. I swear I will."

Abraxas kicked the man's wand to a few inches away from them; certainly they didn't need another attack to draw attention from the area they were in. The man could barely speak, let alone scream. The man kept silent, and wasn't even struggling to free himself. He was wandless, and both Tom and Abraxas didn't care much about the man's fate. The least the man could do was not tell them anything.

"Oh, you will speak." Abraxas hissed. "I'm afraid you already know what a Blasting Curse is, don't you?"

"M-ministry…" The man mumbled, finally. Tom loosed his grip on the man's collar. However, he kept pressuring the ribs with his knee, and his wand was still pointed at the man's head. "The trace." The man croaked. "Underage…" and he stopped. He was not dead, only lacked the strength to speak.

"Underage what?" Tom asked in the same menacing voice, making the man speak up. "Don't take too long or I will lose my patience with you… Who you are?"

"L-Longbottom." The man replied. "Underage magic." He wheezed. "Dumbledore has men on…The ministry… Now."

Abraxas looked around. "I think we should go. What happened to the people on the camp, Longbottom?"

"Hogwarts." The man whispered, losing his breath. "Execute them… In public."

"Always looking for the show. The audience will be disappointed, though." Tom said. "The show is about to be canceled."

OoOoO

Hermione barely had time to react to the noise of people appariting. As soon as she grabbed her wand, she knew there was no chance for them to escape. All the camp was surrounded by many wizards and witches, aiming their wands at the camp. "Put your wands down if you don't want to be tortured to near death." McGonagall said, stepping forward from the circle, her wand still aiming at them. "I assure you this time I have orders to hurt you if needed."

Grindelwald left his tent. He was standing tall, as if he had nothing to fear, even if to this date, no one had the courage of handing him a wand… However, he didn't complain. Grindelwald was not trusted, even with the Unbreakable Vow. The only person who appeared to trust him was Tobias… Even Eileen and Tom were cautious around him, and Grindelwald was a fool if he thought he was trusted for a second. At least, everyone behaved politely and tried not to create any fight. Fighting was not needed in their situation. As the time passed, they knew they needed Grindelwald, because he was the only one who knew Dumbledore well enough there. "If you came to have me, I will go willingly. There's no need of hurting innocent people."

McGonagall gave a laugh that was almost hysterical. "Innocent people?" she asked. "Dumbledore wants all of your heads in a silver platter." she laughed a little more. "And you are wandless, weak, and old! You stand no chance Grindelwald, and you have no right to bargain!"

Hermione lowered her wand in defeat and a tear rolled down in her face. That was it… That was in the end. Everyone was well aware of it. They didn't struggle to give up on their wands, and be magically tied up… Not with ropes, this time. What Hermione felt was like an invisible handcuff on her hands and feet, keeping them together. "There's two missing." McGonagall noticed. "Where are that Malfoy boy and that Riddle boy? Two are missing so check everything!" she shouted and immediately many wizards moved to search for them. Including Weasley and a blonde man who Tobias seemed to recognize…

McGonagall casually conjured a chair and sat down, looking directly at them with amusement of her face. The amusement on her face wore off with the time, as more and more men and women came back from the woods without a sign of Tom and Abraxas. Hermione smiled slightly. Tom and Abraxas were always thinking ahead – most likely they would be up to something. Orion understood that as well, and he exchanged a rather amused look with Hermione. "What are you so happy about?" McGonagall asked. "Crucio." She said, pointing his wand at Tobias. Hermione and Eileen gasped. Tobias had spasms, but he merely fell on his knees, not daring to scream… Even if he was in great pain. Hermione couldn't imagine bearing the pain of a Cruciatus curse.

"No!" Eileen protested. "Stop, you…" And for the first time she seemed to be lacking a snide remark to make. She was disturbed deeply, because Tobias was dealing with the pain without making a sound, which made it worst. Hermione would feel better if he screamed.

"If you ask. Crucio." McGonagall spoke. Weasley approached her and muttered something in her ear. "Well, it's getting late anyway. Blind fold them!" she demanded to the ten wizards who were aiming their wands at the defenseless group near the fire. "And take them! Weasley, you stay here and try to find the other two. Dumbledore doesn't want anyone to escape, to you hear me?" she hissed to Weasley as she stood up. "Very well."

By that time, Hermione was already unable to see. She felt a strong grip on her arm, and she felt the awful sensation of the apparition. When she felt floor under her feet again, she wanted to faint, but whoever was holding her kept her standing up. "Walk." A cold voice demanded. Hermione obeyed. Where were they…? Hermione didn't know.

P.S: So… Yeah. It's pretty close to the end now.

Blue Luver 5000: It's updated!

Yellow 14: I didn't give the complete explanation in this chapter… It's only a very quick explanation, though I will elaborate further in the next chapter.

Alexandria Marie Carington: I liked the idea very much too… Especially because Snape's father has to be a BAMF.

BountyHunterGirl134: I thought it was kind of… Obvious. Or what is it just for me, who was writing…? Anyhow, kind of makes sense. I mean, in "canon" Dumbledore is gay, so… In my world, guess who's gay? Lucius will have two dads now :)

Obsessivegirl73: Right…? Lol. I loved Orion and Hermione together as well, they kind of balance each other out even if I haven't written much about their relationship :/


	40. Chapter 39: The final battle Part I

Hermione heard a door click. Her hands and feet were still handcuffed, and she was sitting on a very hard floor. Made of stone, if she wasn't mistaken. "Where are we?" she asked, still blind.

"Not Nurmengard." Tobias replied. "I don't know if this is bad news or good news. And where are Tom and that blonde guy with the weird name?"

"Hopefully not Nurmengard." Eileen observed. "I'm avidly waiting for a rescue right now. McGoogles wasn't joking."

"If I still know Dumbledore…" Grindelwald interrupted. "I am sure something great Is waiting for us."

"And this is good or this is bad?" Ignatius asked.

"I'm afraid it's bad…" Grindelwald didn't lie.

"But how did they found us?" Luc questioned. "And why only a week later?"

Hermione was wondering that as well. She had an idea, though… Could've been the trace. In Diagon Alley, it didn't work because everyone was doing magic every minute of the day and the Ministry couldn't tell which magic was Hermione's and which magic was from other people. The same could happen with Luc and Eileen since they were living with Charlus and Dorea… Besides, the Ministry was not after them… Not until recently. Hermione cursed herself for not thinking about it before. It was useless to think of what went wrong, anyway. Hermione wasn't panicking, though.

She was very calm, as if she accepted her fate. She wasn't thinking of her world anymore… She focused on her own breathing, until the locked door was opened again.

OoOoO

"What are we going to do?" Abraxas asked while Tom left Longbottom's unconscious body behind and walked even further in the forest, which was becoming denser.

"Go to Hogwarts." Tom replied simply. "Rescue everyone. Save the day."

Tom was speaking the truth. That was his plan – and he wasn't very sure about the details. The detail he was very sure about is that they should distance themselves from the camp without making much noise, to then, apparite to Hogsmeade and go to Hogwarts. Another thing Tom was sure about is that either they managed to sneak inside Hogwarts without being noticed and find everyone without calling any attention or they would be as dead as Brutus. Besides, they didn't even know if Longbottom was lying to them or not – either way, they were walking to a trap. They weren't going to flee, and staying wasn't an option… The only place to go was Hogwarts.

"Sounds good to me." Abraxas agreed.

After five minutes of a walk in a very fast pace, Tom stopped. "Do you think they will hear us from here?" he asked, looking around. All he could see was trees. Tom was starting to hate trees.

"To the hell with it. Hogsmeade? Near the gates?" Abraxas questioned. Tom gave a quick nod and within two seconds, Abraxas was gone with a loud crack. Tom, too, disappeared. Soon, he put his feet on the damp grass in front of Hogwarts' gates. He had to duck immediately, because they were already under attack. Five wizards or witches, Tom was not sure, were guarding the gates. And there went their chance of going inside unnoticed. Tom saw what seemed to be a Severing Charm pass only one inch away from his shoulder, and he stood up to attack whoever was closer to him, hitting a wizard with a coco hat with a Jelly-Brain jinx and then another one to his left with a Reductor Curse. Abraxas was taking care of the other three. Apparently, he was very successful.

"Really?" Abraxas asked. "Jelly-Brain jinx?" and then he cast a Stunning spell on the same wizard with the hat. Then he looked at the gates. "How are we going to pass them?"

"Someone is going to open for us." Tom observed. Ten wizards and witches were coming from the castle with their wands at ready while a siren ringed in a rather high volume. Dumbledore put a new spell, apparently, in case he received visitors. "I think we just ringed the door bell." And that time, they couldn't escape or fight.

Tom felt honestly defeated when he and Abraxas were so gently taken to the Great Hall, where all the students were gathered once more… In the beginning, where once was the staff table, there was a stage with the Headmaster's chair. Dumbledore was sitting on it in a very casual position. Hermione, Orion, Charlus, Dorea, Grindelwald… All of them had someone behind them, pointing a wand to their necks. And so Tom and Abraxas, who joined them. Hermione gasped when she saw them.

"I've been expecting you two." Dumbledore said, somewhat softly. "Now we can get started. Here, my friends, is the start of another era!" he announced. No one was very excited about that, except, perhaps, from his army. McGonagall had a very wide grin on her face. She was standing at Dumbledore's side. " I, Albus Dumbledore, will wipe the dirty blood of the wizardry world, and guarantee our position over the muggle world! It's the start of a new age! And, to mark the start of it, here we have eleven rebels that dared to go against me. They thought they were successful, and even have a muggle among them. A muggle, putting his dirty feet on Hogwarts."

Tom swallowed very hard. They had failed, and greatly at that. Tom could see the empty, hopeless looks of all the students sitting in the Great Hall. They had their wands with them, but fighting was no use… Much more wizards joined Dumbledore's cause, and the students already must have been tortured enough for a lifetime. Tom accepted that he was going to die, and very soon. All of his friends, on the stage, and Grindelwald as well, were sure of it. Though not Tobias…

Dumbledore was talking something Tom couldn't register, and Tom dared to look at his side. Tobias was smiling. He looked down, signalizing Tom to do the same. Tobias discretely pulled his shirt up with the hand of the arm Weasley was holding. Tom saw the shine of something metallic in Tobias' belt. He had a knife! And Weasley, who was holding one of Tobias' arms and aiming his wand at Tobias' neck didn't know about it… Perhaps he wasn't expecting that a muggle could defend himself, since Tobias couldn't use any magic. Oh, well. What a mistake.

P.S.: Short chapter… Or else it would be a really long chapter.

Obsessivegirl73: Ugh, was driving me crazy… Anyway, yes. Flashback to DH.

Yellow 14: I'm loving Bellatrix!McGonagall. Though she had so little screen time that it hurts my heart… And the next chapter is the final chapter. Tears… Oh, but there's still the epilogue. Which I already wrote.

BlackHeartedBirthday: Lucky you! People hug me just to tease me because I can't stand being hugged. Awesome.


	41. Chapter 40: The final battle Part II

Hermione couldn't quite register what just happened. Weasley, the wizard who was controlling Tobias, fell on the floor, bleeding from his shoulder. Tobias was holding a knife dirty with flesh blood, and Tom already physically harmed the witch who was holding him with a punch on the nose. He had a wand, and was hexing the closest wizards. Only when the wizard grabbing her arm let go of her, screaming in pain from a Stinging Hex is that Hermione snapped out of her numb state. She took the wand out of the wizard's hand. However, he was still standing. Since everyone was using muggle methods anyway, Hermione kicked him in the private parts as hard as she could and he fell on the floor in a fetal position. Hermione stared at him with her widened eyes until she heard a very loud noise, as an explosion, and only then, she looked around.

All the Great Hall was fighting, it was impossible to tell who was a student, who was from Dumbledore's Army, but the greatest fight was happening in the middle. Between Dumbledore and Grindelwald. This time, Grindelwald wasn't only protecting himself – he was attacking, even if he didn't have the Elder Wand… However, he couldn't kill Dumbledore. But Hermione didn't have much time to watch. Soon, a hex, coming from nowhere Hermione could recognize, missed her only for a couple of inches. Only then she realized she was in the middle of a battle and that she had to fight. When she started, though… She casted a Shield Spell and run closer to Eileen and Luc, who were fighting three wizards, and losing space. Hermione it one of them with an Expelliarmus, and the wizard flew a couple of feet back, bumping in to the rock wall behind him.

"Good one!" Luc congratulated Hermione and enjoyed the second of distraction to cast a Conjuctivitus Curse in one of the two left. Eileen cut the arm of the remaining one with a very strong Cutting Spell.

"We have to help Grindelwald." Eileen said, while the wizard fell on his knees, already pale from the lost of blood. Another explosion. Grindelwald was backing off to the Entrance Hall, and the fight was spreading through the castle, the students fighting back with everything they had. However, even in a slightly bigger number, they were not having a better time than Grindelwald. Hermione thought they didn't need to help Grindelwald only… They needed to help the students as well.

"Luc." Hermione said. "Find Charlus and Dorea. Tell them to call the aurors… Eileen…" Hermione grinned. "We are going to need broomsticks. Again."

"Yes, ma'am." Eileen replied with a mischievous smirk. "What's the plan?"

"Remember the siren?" she asked. "Go find Tom, Abraxas, Orion, Tobias and the Quidditch team, all of them. Get Tom and Abraxas to activate the spell again, and get broomsticks to attack whoever goes there by air."

"And what about you?" Luc questioned. "What you are going to do?"

"Don't worry about me." Hermione answered. "I will be fine."

OoOoO

Hermione sneaked out of the Great Hall, the wand she found lowered. She tried not to get attention – after all, what she had in mind was a sneak attack on Dumbledore. It was kind of a suicidal mission… Either it would work and Dumbledore would be caught off guard or, perhaps, he would attack Hermione. And she was hoping Grindelwald would get the chance and defeat Dumbledore. In both cases, Dumbledore would be defeated. However, in only one of them, Hermione would get out alive. No one needed to know that.

The problem was: Dumbledore's Army was still strong. It was safer to gather a small group to go with her rather than go alone. But Dumbledore's death, alone, wasn't going to make the battle stop. And Hermione knew that many lives were already lost. The students only knocked down enemies, but the enemies killed students. Soon, the number of students would be too small to stand a chance. So she decided to go alone, counting on sheer luck to remain alive.

Grindelwald was still fighting Dumbledore in the Entrance Hall, which was partially destroyed. Grindelwald was under a loose piece of ceiling that could fall and kill him right away. Dumbledore had his back turned to Hermione, and was throwing curse after curse on Grindelwald, who was trying to dodge them, and attack Dumbledore in the same time, with a wand that didn't respond well to his commands. She swallowed hard, because she had to do it before the spell on the gate was activated – and get out of there very quick… Hermione didn't know how long it would take for Charlus and Dorea call the aurors in the Ministry, so she wasn't counting on that.

"Confringo!" she said, aiming her wand at Dumbledore. It missed him by only an inch. It worked, though. Dumbledore got confused with the wall at his side that blasted, sending rocks everywhere. Hermione was going to try again: "Confrin-"

Then she was sent flying because of an explosion that happened near her. The last thing she heard was the maniacal laugh of McGonagall.

P.S.: I should've put the two final chapters together. My lack of vocabulary strikes again. Yaay. Shout out to Eileen using a cutting spell. Snape, sectusempra… Anyone?

Yellow 14: I don't need details :D I'm actually happy because it's the first story I ever finished. Quite the accomplishment.

BlackHeartedBithday: I'm actually pretty snarky and arrogant in real life, but I'm short and small framed so everyone go: "aww, you are so cute, let me give you a hug until you are happy." Awesome. The problem with that is that no one understand that "no" means "no".

Ladyyuki16: So… Yeah.

Obsessivegirl73: I mean, how could they not expect that the most BAMF muggle they ever come across had a knife? Wizards *shakes head*

Blue Luver 5000: Ookey.

Lady Elizabeth of New York" Glad you liked it!


	42. Epilogue: Two turns

"Good bye, Hermione." Orion said, and kissed Hermione. And then gave her another kiss… He didn't want to let her go.

Hermione wasn't fully recovered from the explosion yet – but she needed to go. Grindelwald had defeated Dumbledore and found a way to send her home while she was on the Hospital Wing due to her wounds. The key is that the spells Dippet left were supposed to fix the time-turner and send her back. Orion, Tom and Abraxas were with Hermione in the Hospital Wing. Hermione called them to say her final goodbye.

"Good bye." Hermione said finally with tears on her eyes, as she slowly faded away.

OoOoO

Hermione woke up all of sudden. Once again, she had been dreaming… She brought her knees to her chest, and did what she always does when she's missing her world. She caressed her time-turner. The same Grindelwald fixed with the help of the Elder Wand. The same who brought her back to her world. But why she felt so empty? It had been two months since Voldemort was defeated. Hermione was staying at Hogwarts, helping to fix things up. But she wasn't happy. She had been, though, when she first hugged Harry and Ron, when she met all the Weasleys again… Something was missing.

Turns out that she didn't go back to exactly the day she disappeared. The amount of time that passed in the upside down world was the same amount of time which passed on her normal world, but Hermione haven't missed a lot… She had a crazy idea. She never turned her time turner again, ever since she was back, two years and a couple of months ago. And if two years and a couple of months had passed there as well… Well. Hermione was really thinking of going back.

"Hermione, I have something to ask you." Ron said, rather seriously when she appeared on the Great Hall. "Can we talk in private?"

Harry smiled to his cereal. Ron was up to something. "Fine." Hermione agreed. Ron took her to a rather beautiful place that wasn't destroyed of Hogwarts. He took her hands.

"I want… I want to ask you." He mumbled and showed a ring. "Will you marry me?"

Hermione took one step back. "Ron, I…" she hesitated. When she went back, she was decided to forget about Orion, but… She realized that she never could. "Look, I think… I think love someone else."

"What?" Ron asked, outraged. "After all this time, you tell me you love someone else? And what we have been through together?"

By "what you have been through together", Ron was implying the lost of virginity for both, only a few days after the last great battle in Hogwarts. But Hermione never shared with him that she wasn't… It had been Orion. All the time, it was Orion. It wasn't Ron the one Hermione loved, and she felt so guilty for... Everything. For not being sincere with Ron, or with herself at all. "I'm so sorry, Ron!" Hermione said. "But I really love someone else."

"Who?" Ron questioned, his lips pressed together. "Who do you love?" he insisted.

Hermione looked away and hugged herself. "He's not here for you to punch him, Ron." She replied. "He's far away."

And in that night, she wrote an extensive letter saying goodbye, and turned the time-turner.

OoOoO

"Hermione!" Orion called from the kitchen. "You are so very late that you should really… _Wake up_, you know?"

Hermione stretched her arms and woke up with a smile in her lips. She went to the bathroom to get herself ready to drop her two boys on King's Cross. There were lines in her face, and some gray hair, but she didn't mind those. "I'm going!" she replied. "Just taking a shower." She stammered down the staircase for the lower level of her house. It was a Sunday, so she didn't have to work… Which was nice, because it was Regulus' first year in Hogwarts.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty." Orion said with snark and a kiss on her forehead. "It's almost ten, Sirius is almost flipping upstairs that we are going to be late. And I have to go to Hogwarts too. Transfiguration teacher, hello…"

"Go at once!" Hermione said. "I will take the boys to King's Cross."

Orion went to the fireplace and dropped a powder that generated green flames. He stepped in the flames. "Professor Black's office." He said before disappearing. Hermione took only a sip of orange juice.

"BOYS!" she shouted. "COME ON OR WE ARE GOING TO BE LATE!"

Two young boys almost magically appeared in the first level with their trunks. Sirius and Regulus, Hermione's two children. Hermione got really surprised in the way Sirius turned out to be. With dark brown eyes, Hermione's eyes, and curly hair that were actually tamed, he was silent and observant though no less of a prankster, while Regulus was hyperactive. Sirius had been sorted in Slytherin, and Regulus was going for his first year… He had green eyes like Orion's, and so Orion's wild hair. Orion's hair never ceased to be wild, not even in his adulthood.

"But, mom, which house do you think I will be sorted?" Regulus asked, quite unsure, to Hermione when she was saying the final goodbyes for him before the train leaves.

"Slytherin, the house that rocks, maybe…?" Sirius suggested.

"Slytherin doesn't rock, Sirius." Severus observed. "Ravenclaw, the house where you _actually_ have some brains, though…"

"Agreed." Lucius said. Lucius had been a surprise to Hermione. Tom and Abraxas got to adopt a baby boy, even if Hermione wasn't very sure if they did it legally… Anyhow, Lucius was a very smart boy, with light brown hair and deep blue eyes and turned out to be a ladies' man… Or boy. Apparently, he had been into a girl named Narcissa. And was a Ravenclaw much like Abraxas.

"Any house is fine, Reg." Hermione replied and checked her clock. "It's almost eleven, I think you should get going before the train leaves."

When the boys left to the train, Hermione turned around to meet two families, several feet from her. "Ugh, don't you hate kids?" Eileen asked as soon as Hermione got close enough to engage a conversation. "I swear to God I don't know how I put up with Hogwarts."

"Try to raise four children." Luc said, but she was actually smiling. "Fabian is graduating next year. He wants to work on the Ministry just like his father." And she tapped Ignatius on the back.

Tobias shook his head. "Engineering is much more fun."

"Working on the Ministry in not that bad." Hermione said. "It's just slightly… Chaotic."

"Too bad for both of you." Eileen replied. She was coaching the Chudley Canons, the most famous Quidditch team in the Great Britain. And very proud of it.

The Hogwarts' Express started to leave the station, and Hermione turned on her heels to say goodbye to her boys, waving in one window. "I bet one galleon my monster, your monster, and Tom and Abraxas' monster will blow up half Hogwarts until the Christmas' holidays." Eileen said while waving and – shock for Hermione – smiling to Severus.

"Two galleons." Hermione replied. "If it's before one month."

She never turned the time-turner again.

THE END.

IT'S OVER.

FOR REAL.

P.S.: Sooo, thank you everyone who put up with me all this time, I wanted to thank you for the support, and the lovely reviews, and… Anyway, just answering a few questions you might have… And sorry if the epilogue it's not very detailed. I tried to squeeze everything in less than five thousand words.

Dumbledore and McGonagall: Azkaban (Grindelwald didn't have the nerve of killing them. Duh.)

Grindelwald: Headmaster (Also duh)

Abraxas: Healer in St. Mungos. Created the cure of Dragon Pox (he died of that in canon).

Tom: DADA Teacher and Head of the Gryffindor House.

The real Marauders: All Slytherins. Including Lily.

Molly Prewett (Luc's youngest daughter): Slytherin

Arthur Weasley: Slytherin (Septimus was a coward and escaped Azkaban)

Narcissa: Ravenclaw

Bellatrix and Andromeda (also Regulus): Hufflepuff (yaay Black sisters!)

Obsessivegirl73: No, I wasn't going to leave you hanging like that… And yes, Tobias = awesome2.

Blue Luver 5000: Ugh, I'm not sure of when I am going to watch THG, but I'm planning it to be soon.


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